GRANNY   MAUMEE 

THE   RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

SIMON  THE   CYRENIAN 


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Granny  Maumee 
The  Rider  of  Dreams  • 
Simon  The  Cyrenian  •     f 

Plays  for  a  Negro  Theater 


BY 
RIDGELY  TORRENCE 


Nero  fork 
THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 

1917 


All  rights  reserved 

COPYRIGHT,  1917, 

BT  RIDGELY  TORRENCE 

COPYRIGHT,  1917, 

BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY 
Set  up  and  printed.    Published  September,  1917. 


For  permission  to  perform  these  plays  application  must  be  made 
to  the  author  in  care  of  the  publishers. 


0.   H.  D.  T. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE 


GRANNY  MAUMEE 

SCENE:  Living  room  in  an  old  cabin  with  walls 
blackened  by  age.    Red  cotton  curtains  and 
red  covers  on  the  chairs  and  table.    In  left 
corner  back,  an  open  fire  smoulders  in  a  great 
rough  fireplace.    There  is  a  door  at  back  lead-^ 
ing  out  of  doors.   There  are  also  doors  left  and 
right.     A  bed  at  left  covered  with  a  white 
counterpane.     The  room  is  neat  and  there 
are  many  growing  flowers  about  potted  in 
rude  wooden  boxes.      Toward  the  right  is 
an  iron  flower  stand  consisting  of  a  basin 
mounted  on  a  tripod.     This  stand  is  filled 
with  a  mass  of  bright  red  geraniums.      A 
large    chest   against    the    wall    at   right    is 
covered  with  red.     A  table  near  centre  bears 
candles.     Beside  the  table  in  a  high-backed 
chair  sits  GRANNY  MAUMEE.    She  is  seen 
to  be  blind.    She  is  black  and  thin,   with 
white  hair  and  a  face  so  seared  by  burns 
that  it   masks   her   great   age.      Her   great 
granddaughter  PEARL,   a  girl   of  nineteen, 
is  moving  briskly  about  the  room  straight 
ening  chairs  and  rearranging  flowers. 
[3] 


4  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

PEARL 

Seem  kinder  funny  fer  me  to  be  fixin'  up  for 
Sapphie.  Seem  like  I'm  wukin'  for  her  by  the 
day.  Mebbe  she  will  tek'n  hiah  me  now  she's 
married.  Seem  kinder  odd  to  be  hiahed  by  a 
blood  sisteh. 

GRANNY 
Spread  my  fine-spun  sheets  on  de  baid. 

PEARL 
I  got  the  nex'  bes'. 

GRANNY 
Fol'  um  up  an'  git  out  de  fines'. 

PEARL 

Hit  weahs  um  out  so  to  wash  um,  an'  Sapphie 
an'  that  man  of  her'n  aint  used  to  such  good 
ness.  An'  to  muss  um  up  des  for  one  night! 

GRANNY 

Hit's  de  night  er  all  nights.  Hit's  de  boy  babe 
wif  'em  dat  I  wants  de  fineness  fer. 

PEARL 

That's  right,  the  baby.  I  keeps  fohgittin' 
hit.  I'll  change'm.  I'll  git  the  linum  sheets 
on  an'  then  I'll  lay  the  big  covehled. 

:  She  draws  coverlid  off,  hauls  box  from  under 


\ 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  5 

the  bed,  and  opening  it  takes  out  bed  clothes 
and  remakes  the  bed.] 

You'n  me'll  have  to  lay  in  the  broke  baid  this 
night.  You  won't  git  no  rest.  i 

GRANNY 

No  matteli^  heah's  a  good  baid  fer  de  babe, 
an'  I'll  soon  git  all  my  res'. 

PEARL 

I  hope's  Sapphie's  husband  aint  too  hefty,  for 
the  th'ee  might  break  this  heah'n  same  as  the 
otheh'n  is  broke. 

GRANNY 

De  husban'  shain't  sleep  da  nohow.  You 
c'n  lay  him  a  bunk  in  de  wash  house. 

PEARL 
What!    You  aint  goin'  to  leave  him  lay  heah? 

GRANNY 

Dis  baid  my  Sam  bought  fo'  me.  Onliest  man 
kin  eveh  lay  in  hit  shill  be  Sam's  own  blood. 
De  babe  an'  his  motheh'll  lay  heah  dis  night 
erlone. 

PEARL 

Well,  the  babe'll  have  plenty  room  and  soft 
ness. 


6  GRANNY  MAUMEE* 

GRANNY 

Wen  my  Sam  wuz  er  babe  we  laid  on  cotton 
sack.  We  didn'  have  no  baid,  an'  w'en  he  little 
shaveh  he  say,  "  Mammy,  I  goin'  git  you  nice 
baid  w'en  I  git  er  man."  An'  sho'  miff,  w'en 
he  grow  up  he  took'n  do  hit,  an'  he  mek  pu'chus 
in  de  attehnoon  an  'de  baid  come  nex'  day.  But 
at  midnight  betwix'  dee  tuk'n  bu'nt  'im. 

PEARL 
Now,  Granny— 

GRANNY 

In  de  black  dahk  dee  come  on  'im,  de  bloody- 
handed  mens,  an'  wheah  dee  cotch  'im  dah  dee 
bu'nt  'im,  de  right  man  settin'  de  wrong  man 
afieh  at  de  i'un  hitchin'  pos'. 

PEARL 

[Going  to  her.]  Granny  Maumee,  don't  leave 
yo'self  go  that  away.  Don't  leave  youah  mine 
run  on. 

GRANNY 

[Rocking  back  and  forth.]  My  Sam,  my  man 
babe-um. 

PEARL 

Hit  git  you  all  wuk  up  an'  wore  out.  You 
won't  look  good  to  company. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  7 

GRANNY 

Look!  Has  I  looked  fo'  fifty  yeah  sence  I  rush 
in  de  fieh  fo'  my  Sam,  which  hit  de  las'  sight  deze 
eyes  seen?  Oh,  whuffo'  dee  drag  me  out  an' 
hilt  me  back?  I  bo'  one  man  an'  him  dee  tuk'n 
bu'nt.  An'  'e  slep'  right'n  dis  room  w'en  de  man 
wuz  shot  w'ich  dee  'cuze  'im  er!  WhufTo'  dee 
drag  me  back  f'um  de  fieh? 

PEARL 

I  sees  the  wisdom  of  Gawd  in  hit,  Granny 
Maumee.  Fifty  yeahs  ergo  me  and  Sapphie's 
granpap  been  burnt  and  yet  you  was  to  live 
to  git  a  new  Sam. 

GRANNY 

W'ich  'e  neveh  come.  Dee  wuz  all  gals  fum 
dat  on,  you  an'  yo'  sisteh  Sapphie  an'  yo' 
mammy  an'  yo'  mammy's  mammy,  all  down 
from  my  breas' :  all  gals. 

PEARL 
You  fuhgits  what  Sapphie's  fetchin'  you. 

GRANNY 

Dat  I  don't,  but  not  twell  I  sees  'im  will  Sam 
be  cool  off  in  my  heaht. 

PEARL 

Granny,  you  can  nurse  the  child  but  course 
you  cain't  espect  to  see  him. 


8  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

GRANNY 
Deze  eyes  shill  yit  behole— 

PEARL 

No,  Granny  Maumee,  your  eyes  they're 
scorched  and  swiveled  with  the  fire.  But  your 
arms  ain't  burnt,  is  they?  An'  they  shall  hold 
the  baby!  Tain't  often  old  person  live  to  heft  a 
great-great-gran'baby. 

GRANNY 

Befo'  my  las'  houah  deze  eyes  shill  look  an' 
see  ergin.  [She  rises.] 

PEARL 
Wheah  you  goin'? 

GRANNY 
Has  you  lay  out  my  raid  gown? 

PEARL 
Yes,  it's  all  on  the  sofy. 

t  GRANNY 

Den  I  goes  to  primp  up  an'  mek  ready  to 
receive. 

PEARL 

Yes,  it's  only  perlite  to  put  on  ouah  best  to 
meet  the  husband. 


\ 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  9 

GRANNY 

I  dresses  fer  none  but  de  chile.     [She  goes 
slowly  out  at  left.] 

PEARL 

[Calling.]    Betteh  lay  down  fust,  they  won't 

be  here  for  two  hour  yet.    I'll  be  there  pres  Vly. 

[She  continues  to  bestir  herself  about  the  room 

and  then  starts  to  follow  GRANNY.    There  is  a 

faint  tap  at  the  door  at  right.  PEARL  stops  and 

listens.     The  tapping  is  repeated.     She  goes 

and  opens  the  door.    A  young  woman,  looking 

much  like  PEARL  and  of  about  the  same  age, 

but  gaudily  dressed  and  carrying  a  baby, 

'    stands  in  the  doorway.] 

PEARL 

[With  a  half-smothered  exclamation.]    Sapphie ! 
[SAPPHIE  motions  her  to  be  silent  and  softly, 
fearfully  enters  the  room.] 

SAPPHIE 
[In  a  low  voice.]    Wheah  Granny  Maumee? 

PEARL 

She  in  the  baid-room  fixin'  up.     Wheah's 
youah  husband? 

SAPPHIE 
[After  a  pause.]   He— didn'— come— 


10  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

PEARL 

Oh,  that's  too  bad,  but  it's  good  to  see  you, 
and  let's  see  the  baby. 

SAPPHIE 

[Drawing  back  with  the  swathed  and  veiled 
child.]  Not  yet. 

PEARL 
Oh,  he's  asleep,  of  course. 

SAPPHIE 

[Pointing  to  doorway  through  which  GRANNY 
passed.]  Shut  the  door. 

PEARL 

[Obeying  wonderingly .]  Well,  hit  do  look  good 
to  see  you  ergin,  Sapphie.  Hit  don't  seem  like 
er  yeah  now  sence  you  lef  home.  Does  youah 
husband  tek  you  to  pictuh  shows? 

SAPPHIE 

Puhl,  what's  Granny  Maumee  like  now,  is 
she  failed  any?    Is  she  fie'ce  as  eveh  'bout  the 
'  burnin'  and  the  w'ite  mens? 

PEARL 

Why,  of  course  she  is.  She  don't  neveh  change 
f'um  year  ter  year.  Come  on,  let's  see  baby. 
What  youah  husband's  name?  You  nevah  sent 
us  wu'd  what  youah  new  name  was. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  11 

SAPPHIE 

That's  what  I  want  to  see  you  for  before 
Granny  Maumee  comes  out.  Come  here.  [She 
lifts  a  veil  from  the  child's  face.] 

PEARL 

[Peering  eagerly  forward  and  then  starting 
back.]  W'ite! 

SAPPHIE 

[Breathlessly.]  How'll  she  take  hit?  What'll 
she  do?  I'm  scared  of  her. 

PEARL 

A  light-head  merlatter!  So  youah  husband 
didn't  come  'cause  they  ain't  no  husband. 
Who's  the  man? 

SAPPHIE 
You  know  wheah  I  work. 

PEARL 
Lightf  oot ! 

SAPPHIE 
He  des  would  have  his  way. 

PEARL 

So,  he  took  you  off  to  town  with  him,  did  he, 
and  that's  how  come  you  have  the  luck  to  go. 
I  praise  King  Jesus  he  kept  me  f  'um  such  luck. 


12  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

SAPPHIE 
How'll  she  take  hit? 

PEARL 

Take  hit!  Does  you  spose  we  can  take'n  tell 
her?  Thank  my  Makeh  she's  blind.  It's  the 
mussy  of  Gawd  her  eyes  was  swiveled  in  w'ite 
man's  fire  before  she  see  the  w'ite  man  mix  with 
her  blood.  You— 

SAPPHIE 

Oh,  I  don't  care  what  you  calls  me  if  you'll 
only  help  me  and  keep  Granny  Maumee  off'n 
me  and  baby. 

PEARL 

It's  only  helpin'  to  keep  us  all  from  'struction 
that  I'll  keep  it  from  her. 

SAPPHIE 
What  you  think  she'd  do  if  she  found  out? 

PEARL 

I  don't  know.  Sometimes  when  her  mine  runs 
on  'bout  the  burnin'  she  begins  to  go  back'ards. 

SAPPHIE 
[Fearfully.]    What  you  mean? 

PEARL 

You  knows  what  I  means.  Away  from  the 
love  of  Gawd,  back  to  that  Affykin  devil  stuff. 


•; 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  13 

SAPPHIE 

[Starting  with  a  cry  toward  the  door  at  back.] 
Oh,  she  might  witch  me  and  the  baby  too. 

PEARL 

Don't  be  scared.    She  won't  tech  you  'cause 
she  won't  know  the  sinneh  you  been. 

^""f     ^  fl 
SAPPHIE 

He  des  would  have  his  way.    [A  tap  is  heard 
outside  GRANNY'S  door.] 

PEARL 


She's  comin'. 

[SAPPHIE  shrinks  back  toward  opposite  side  of 
room  as  door  opens  and  GRANNY  enters  wear 
ing  a  red  dress  with  wd  npron^and  red  silk 
cap  on  her  head.  She  pauses  just  inside  and 
listens  intently.] 

GRANNY 
Who  bin  talkin'? 

PEARL 
Me.    [She  guides  GRANNY  to  her  chair.] 

GRANNY 

Well,  talk  on.    How  I  look?    [She  straightens 
proudly  in  her  chair.] 


14  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

PEARL 

Good.    The  red  ain't  faded  none. 

* 

GRANNY 

Dat's  good,  fer  I  needs  hit  bright  dis  day  an5 
night.  De  babe'll  wan'  tuh  see  hit.  Red's  de 
fus'  coloh  er  baby  notice  an'  red  allers  goes  wif 
black.  Red  neveh  go  wif  w'ite.  Looks  ghas'ly. 
I  use  allers  tuh  wrop  my  Sam  in  red — [She 
pauses  and  her  voice  grows  shriller.]  an'  red's  de 
las'  way  I  seen  'im. 

PEARL 
Now,  Granny— 

GRANNY 

Dat's  right,  I  mus'  tek  my  mine  off  er  dat 
sight  now.  But  I'll  tek'n'  wrop  dis  noo  black 
babe  in  my  red  ap'un  dat  hilt  my  Sam.  In  red 
.  he  shill  be  wrop  an'  black  he  shill  shine.  Royal 
black  we  is  an'  royal  black  we  shill  stay.  Praise 
my  Makeh,  dey  ain'  no  drop  er  any  yutheh 
coloh  in  'im.  All  us  wimens  wuz  hones',  all  de 
way  down,  an'  we  kep'  clean  er  de  w'ite  streak. 
We  kep'  us  clean,  praise  my  King,  an'  we  will 
ter  de  een' .  W'ite  blood  were  'stroyin'  angel  tuh 
my  fambly  f'um  de  beginnin's,  but  hit  neveh 
yit  mix  wif  us.  We  wuz  save  f'um  dat  las' 
pizen. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  15 

[SAPPHIE  turns  as  though  to  go  out  through  the 
door  at  right  with  her  child.  PEARL  motions 
her  through  side  doorway  at  left.  She  goes 
out  softly.] 

PEARL 

Hattie  Lee  she  uz  hones'  an'  her  baby's  w'ite. 
That  w'ite  man  tuk'n  marry  her  with  preacheh. 

GRANNY 

Married  wif  preacheh!  Do  dat  change  de 
trashy  blood?  I  wudn'  have  dat  kinder  mud 
pumpin'  in  er  babe  er  my  blood,  not  ef  de 
sevumty  eldehs  had  fined  a  w'ite  man  tuh  you 
er  Sapphie. 

PEARL 
W'ite  blood  no  wus'n  black  blood. 

GRANNY 

Tis  fer  us!  Tis  fer  dis  house  er  sorrer.  Hit's 
bin  fieh,  hit's  bin  death,  hit's  bin  de  crawlin' 
stream  er  hell  fer  me  an'  my  fambly  as  fur  as 
I  knows,  an'  dat's  a  hunderd  yeah.  But  I  lets 
all  de  yutheh  go,  'ca'se  I  hates  um  ernuff  fer 
dis  one  thing— 

[She  goes  to  red-covered  chest  at  right,  lifts  the 
lid  and  takes  out  two  half-charred  sticks  of 
wood.] 


16  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

PEARL 
Now,  Granny,  put  um  back— 

GRANNY 

[Waving  the  sticks.]  Deze,  w'ut  I  snatch  f'um 
de  fieh  undeh  Sam.  Deze  is  ernuff  to  mek  us 
hate  all  er  dat  blood  an'  keep  hit  fur  f'um  us. 

PEARL 

[Going  to  her  and  taking  the  sticks.]  Is  this  heah 
makin'  ready  for  comp'ny?    Now  ca'm  yo'se'f . 
[She  lays  the  sticks  on  top  of  the  chest.] 

GRANNY 

[Seating  herself  and  growing  suddenly  very  still 
as  though  listening.]  Yo're  right.  Time's  up, 
de  houah  is  heah  an'  de  chile  is  neah.  I  feels 
hit.  Run  an'  open  de  do'.  Sapphie  mus'  be 
comin'  up  de  paf.  Mek  ready.  I  feel  my  noo 
man  chile  neah  me. 

[PEARL  goes  out  doorway  at  left.  After  a  mo 
ment  she  and  SAPPHIE  enter  without  the  baby. 
GRANNY  stands  up.] 

SAPPHIE 

[Going  forward  hesitatingly  to  GRANNY.] 
Granny  Maumee. 

GRANNY 
Give  'im  heah  in  deze  ahms. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  17 

SAPPHIE 
I  lay  him  in  yutheh  room.    I  want  to  see  you. 

GRANNY 
Fetch  'im. 

SAPPHIE 
Aint  you  glad  to  have  me  back? 

GRANNY 

Fetch  de  babe,  be  swif!  [PEARL  motions  to 
Sapphie;  she  goes  out  to  get  the  baby.] 

PEARL 
Her  man,  he  couldn't  come  with  her. 

GRANNY 

No  diffunce.  I  bless  de  man  an'  wish  'im 
well,  he's  su'ved  his  puhpose,  but  he  ain'  none 
er  ouah  blood.  De  boy  babe's  de  chief  un. 
[SAPPHIE  enters  with  the  baby.]  Give  'im  heah,  be  >  ;t  p:  \ 

[SAPPHIE  hesitatingly  lays  the  child  in  GRANNY'S 
outstretched  arms.  As  she  does  so  a  strange 
reaction,  like  an  electrical  shock,  seems  to  over 
take  the  old  woman.  She  holds  out  the  child 
as  though  she  would  give  it  back.  After  a 
moment,  however,  she  presses  it  to  her  breast, 
rocking  back  and  forth  and  crooning  to  it.] 


18  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

Babe,  man  babe-urn,  er  noo  man,  er  puore- 
blood  man  raise'up  Jitter  all  dem  gals.  Sam 
kin  res'  now.f^Caze  w'y—  -[She  begins  to  chant.] 
'caze  er  noo  man  bin  raise  up  an'  he  shill 
lay  hoi'  er  de  stahs  an'  th'ow  um  down  fer 
vingince.  He  shill  be  er  'stroyin'  fieh  er  heavum 
tuh  roll  ergin  de  hell  fieh  w'ut  dey  lit  fer  Sam  an' 
quinch  hit  out  fuheveh.  De  wrath  er  Gawd 
shill  be  wif  'im  an/  de  w'ite  blood  shill  puhvail  no 
m  De  sun  an'  moon  shill  rise  no 


mo'  on  my  house  an'  fin'  on'y  gals,  'caze  we  got 
er  puore-blood  man  fer  to  gyard  an'  carry  us  on. 

[From  time  to  time  during  her  words  she  has 
paused  and  bent  intently  over  the  baby,  striv 
ing  to  see  it.] 

An'  my  King'll  not  keep  de  cuss  on  me  now 
an'  leave  me  go  down  to  de  grave  wifouten 
sight  er  you,  my  babe-um.  Dese  eyes  shill  yit 
behole.  [She  rises  with  the  child  in  her  arms.] 
Go  on  out  er  heah,  Puhl  an'  Sapphie,  lemme  be 
alone  now  wif  my  babe.  [She  waves  them  out 
imperiously.] 

PEARL 

Whuffo'? 

GRANNY 
I  wan's  ter  see  dis  chile  befo'  I  dies. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  19 

PEARL 

Why,  Granny  Maumee,  your  eyes  is  swiveled 
up  with  the  fire.  You  couldn't  see. 

GRANNY 
Go.    I  won'  be  long. 

PEARL 
[To  SAPPHIE.]    Come  on,  don't  cross  her. 

SAPPHIE 
[Whispering.]    I'm  'fraid— 

PEARL 

You  know  she  couldn't [They  go  out  door 
way  at  left.] 

[GRANNY  stands  staring  down  at  the  child  in  her 
arms  for  some  time.  She  then  goes  over  to 
the  bed  and  lays  the  child  upon  it,  bending 
over  it  and  striving  to  see.  At  last  she  turns, 
goes  swiftly  over  to  the  red-covered  chest  and 
taking  from  its  top  the  two  charred  sticks, 
turns,  lights  them  at  the  fireplace,  comes  for 
ward  to  the  middle  of  the  room  and  holding 
the  flaming  faggots  before  her  face  peers 
steadily  at  them.] 

GRANNY 

[Suddenly  in  a  loud  voice  with  upraised  face.] 
Sam — ask  Gawd  tuh  give  back  my  sight  dis 
night  er  all  nights  an'  leave  me  look  at  de  noo 


20  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

man  w'ut  bin  handed  down  ter  us.  Fer  we  kep' 
de  blood  puore.  Ask  an7  we  shill  receive — [In  a 
still  louder  tone,  stretching  upward  her  hands.] 
Lawd,  I  believe. 

[She  suddenly  sways,  turns,  drops  the  sticks  on 
the  hearth,  puts  her  hands  before  her  eyes  and 
staggers  forward.  After  a  moment  she  takes 
her  hands  from  her  face  and  looks  tremblingly 
about.] 

Yes — he  give  hit  back — I  sees — Oh,  my  black 
babe! 

[She  moves  swiftly  to  the  bed  and  bends  over  the 
child.  There  is  a  moment's  pause.] 

W'ut  dis?    Cain'  I  see  yit?    De  wrong  coloh. 
[She  turns  swiftly,  seizes  a  wMte__c]&tti  from  a 
chair  and  a  black  one  from  another,  holds 
them  up  and  looks  at  them  alternately.] 
W'ite— black. 

[Then  turning  to  the  bed  she  stares  again  at  the 
child.  After  a  moment  she  straightens  and 
reaching  her  hands  upward  she  gives  a  cry.] 
W'ite!    Debbils! 

[SAPPHIE  and  PEARL  appear  in  doorway. 
GRANNY  bends  over  the  child  with  clawlike 
fingers  raised  as  though  she  were  about  to 
strangle  it.  SAPPHIE  darts  forward  and 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  21 

snatches  the  child.    GRANNY  turns  and  looks 
at  SAPPHIE  and  PEARL  in  turn.] 

PEARL 
She  sees! 

SAPPHIE 

Granny  Maumee,  the  babe'll  be  ouah'n  an' 
we  can  raise  him  right.  He's  a  good  baby  and 
don't  cry  none.  I  don't  want  live'n  town.  I 
want  to  live  here  with  you  and  Puhl.  Baby'll 
love  you.  And  we  won't  be  no  trouble  to  keep 
'caze  I  got  money.  Look — take  this. 

[She  draws  from  her  bosom  a  crumpledjmnd^ 
ful  of  bills  which  she  stuffs  into  GRANNY'S 
hands.] 

GRANNY 

Wheah  you  git  dis?  [She  stands  immovably 
staring  before  her.] 

SAPPHIE 
He  give  it  to  me. 

GRANNY 

[Shaking  off  the  money  onto  the  table.]  W'ite 
man  money. 

SAPPHIE 

He  des  would  have  his  way,  but  he's  good  to 
me  and  he  takes  care  of  me.  He's  comin'  heah 
to-night  to  see  me. 


22  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

GRANNY 
W'ut  de  name? 

SAPPHIE 
Young  Lightfoot. 

GRANNY 

De  gran'pap  er  dat  man  tetch  off  de  fieh  w'ut 
bu'n  up  my  Sam. 

SAPPHIE 

But  this'n  ain't  that  away,  Granny  Maumee. 
He's  always  kind. 

GRANNY 
Wen's  de  man  comin'? 

SAPPHIE 
He'll  be  here  soon  and  if  you'll  only  listen 

he'll  sure  talk  you  round. 

% 

GRANNY 

[Pointing  to  the  baby.]    Hit  wants  out.    Take 
it  out  an'  come  yer. 

[SAPPHIE  obeys,  going  through  doorway  at  left. 
GRANNY  suddenly  turns  to  the  flower-basin 
mounted  on  a  tripod.  Seizing  it  she  empties 
both  flowers  and  earth  in  the  fireplace, 
where  she  refills  the  basin  with  live  coals. 
Then  bringing  it  forward  she  replaces  it  upon 
its  tripod.] 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  23 

PEARL 

Granny  Maumee,  you're  slippin'  backwuds, 
please  don't  fuss  with  that  conju'n  foolishness, 
they  ain't  nuthin'  into  hit  an'  hit  des  keeps  you 

'cited. 

GRANNY 

Debbils  calls  out  debbils. 
[She  goes  to  several  places  where  upon  the  walls 
are  hung  bunches  of  dried  herbs.    From  sev 
eral  of  these  she  seizes  handfuls.] 
Come,  my  seedin'  Jimson,  come,  ole  Rattlesnake- 
Marsteh,  come,  my  Black-Bail,  w'ut  Pap  Jack 
han'  me  up. 

[SAPPHIE  reenters  the  room  and  stands  watching 
GRANNY  in  terror.  GRANNY  closes  all  the 
doors  to  the  room,  then  going  to  the  red-covered 
chest  on  the  right  and  opening  it  she  drags 
forth  several  coils  of  blackened  iron  chain 
which  she  casts  upon  the  table.  She  sprinkles 
a  few  of  her  handful  of  herbs  on  the  fire  in  the 
brazier.  A  dense  smoke  arises 

SAPPHIE  ^ 
[With  a  scream.}   Don't!  Oh,  don't  conjuh  me. 

PEARL 

[Scornfully.]  Don't  fuss,  Sapphie,  she  won't  do 
no  harm.    What  the  chains  for,  Granny? 


24  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

GRANNY 

Dem's  de  chains  w'ut  bine  Sam  w'en  dey 
tuk'n  bu'n  'im. 

PEARL 

What  you  worry  yourself  by  gittin'  um  out 
for? 

GRANNY 

I  am'  worried  no  mo'.  [She  throws  more  herbs 
on  the  fire  in  the  brazier.]  Dem  chains  fer  de 
w'ite  man. 

PEARL 
What  you  mean? 

GRANNY 

[Pointing  to  the  door  at  left  back.]  W'en  de 
w'ite  man  knock  de  do'  shill  be  open  an'  dat 
shill  be  de  beginnin'  er  his  trials. 

PEARL 
What  you  mean? 

GRANNY 

De  smoke  in  dis  room  will  strankle  de  man's 
will  in  his  breas'  an'  I'll  use  'im  den  as  I  choose. 

SAPPHIE 
What  you  goin'  do  to  'im? 

GRANNY 

I  goin'  lead  'im  out  tuh  de  i'un  hitchin'  pos' 
w'ut  dey  fas'en  Sam  ter  an'  I  goin'  tuh  chain 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  25 

'im  da  wif  dese  chains  an7  I  goin'  tub  bring  'im 
tub  'imself  an'  den  I  goin'  tub  bu'n  'im  lak  he 
gran'pappy  bu'n  Sam. 

SAPPHIE 
[With  a  scream.]    You  shan't. 

PEARL 

You  spose  we  leave  you  do  hit? 

[The  girls  start  forward  toward  the  doorway  at 
left  back.  As  they  near  GRANNY  she  swiftly 
seizes  a  handful  of  burning  herbs  from  the 
brazier  and  waves  them  smoking  across  the 
faces  of  the  girls  under  their  nostrils,  so  that 
they  breathe  the  fumes.  They  take  a  few 
steps  farther,  staggering,  and  then  stand 
motionless  and  silent.  She  takes  them  by 
the  hands  and  leads  them  back.  The  fumes 

;  of  stramonium,  solanum  and  other  herbs  have 
produced  catalepsia.  GRANNY  goes  to  the 
fireplace  at  back  and  from  the  mantel  takes 
a  wooden  bowl,  a  short  stick  and  a  large  dry 
gourd.  She  returns,  gives  the  bowl  and  stick 
to  SAPPHIE,  causing  her  to  beat  rhythmically 
on  the  inverted  bowl  with  the  stick,  a  motion 
which  SAPPHIE  continues  in  imitative  hypno 
sis.  GRANNY  gives  the  gourd  to  PEARL,  caus 
ing  her  to  shake  it.  The  gourd  gives  forth  a  dry 
rattle  from  seeds  or  pebbles  within  it.  GRANNY 


26  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

then  places  the  two  girls  on  either  side  of  the 
tripod  and  they  continue  their  drumming 
and  rattling  rhythmically.  She  then  takes 
her  place  back  of  the  tripod  and  casts  more 
herbs  upon  the  fire.] 

GRANNY 

Sistehs,  kin  yo'  heah  me  speak?     Answeh, 
Sapphie. 

SAPPHIE 
[In  a  dull  tone.]    Yes. 

GRANNY 
Answeh,  Puhl.    Does  yo'  heah  me? 

PEARL 
[Also  dully.]    Yes. 

GRANNY 
Does  yo'  see? 

BOTH  GIRLS 
Yes. 

GRANNY 

Den  watch  me  mek  my  w'ite  man  Lightfoot 
outer  Lightfoot  money. 

[She  seizes  the  bunch  of  bills  from  the  table  and 
plucking  strands  of  hair  from  her  head  she 
begins  tying  the  money  together;  taking  the 
candle  from  the  table  she  holds  it  over  the  tri- 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  27 

pod  until  it  is  soft  and  then  kneads  it  with 
the  money  until  the  whole  grows  into  the 
rude  semblance  of  a  human  figure.  Stooping 
then  to  the  hearth  she  takes  up  the  two  charred 
sticks  of  her  son's  pyre  and  with  one  of  these 
she  stabs  the  wax  mannikin  through  the 
breast.  Holding  up  the  impaled  figure  she 
stands  over  her  tripod  and  again  speaks:] 

Say  dis  atter  me  :— 

By  de  fieh  at  night,  by  de  black  boy  down, 

THE  SISTERS 
"By  the  fire  at  night,  by  the  black  boy  down/' 

GRANNY 

By  de  skurit-off  face  an'  de  red  on  de  groun', 
[The  sisters  repeat  each  line  after  her  in  unison, 
keeping   up   their  rhythm  with   drum   and 
rattle.] 

By  de  w'ip  an'  de  rope  an'  de  chain  dat  swung, 
'n-'  dc  bit-off  tongue  , 


We  scream,  we  beg,  we  whoop,  we  squall 
Tuh  git  poweh,  tuh  git  stren'th  tuh  put  de  trick 

on  um  all. 

[After  Jhis  the  remainder  of  GRANNY'S  curse  is 
spoken  by  her  alone.  The  sisters  continue 
their  sounds  with  the  drum  and  rattle.] 


28  GRANNY  MAUMEE 


Let  um  gitno  res'  in  bed,  er  good  at  vittals,  er 
hope  at  \yu'k,  er  he'p  at  home,  er  peace  wif  fren's 
er  kin,  e/tryin'  tuh  tek  pleasuah,  er  in  any  place 
dey  kija  go  er  hide. 


Th'ee  fingeh  Jack  my  Obi  pap, 
He'p  me,  ole  Marstdn. 
Keep  de  promise  ytf  um  all. 

[She  lifts  the  mannmin  on  the  stick  and  looks 
at  it.] 

Now,  my  Lightfoot,  yore  tu'n's  come. 
Dis  is  Lightfoot,  Ole  Marsteh. 

Let  me  slit  'im  an7  bu'n  'im  an7  was'e  'im  an'  cut 
'im  an'  choke  an'  weah  'im  an'  teah  'im  as  Sam 
'uz  slit  an'  choked  an'  bu'nt  an'  was'e  an'  cut 
an'  woah  an'  toah. 

[She  waves  the  mannikin  to  the  four  points  of 
the  compass.] 

Fo'  times  fo'  times  fo'  times  fo', 
Fly  an'  call  an'  open  de  do'. 

De  chains  is  ready,  de  man  is  neah,  an'  almos' 
heah  an'  de  chahm  shill  hoi'. 

Spile  'im  as  I  spile  'im. 

[She  casts  the  mannikin  and  the  sticks  with 
ferocity  into  the  fire  on  the  tripod  and  then 
bends  down  staring  intently  into  the  fire. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  2§ 

There  is  a  moment's  silence  and  then  she 
gives  a  cry,  as  she  looks  into  the  fire.] 

Sam!  Is  dat  you  in  da?  You  instid  er  he? 
Wut  dis?  Is  we  bin  trick?  'Tain't  you— 'tis 
you — Sam !  Ah-h ! 

[With  a  cry  she  snatches  the  blazing  mannikin 
from  the  brazier  and  folds  it  in  her  caught-up 
apron,  staggering  and  beating  the  air  as 
though  battling  with  unseen  forces.  Suddenly 
a  gust  of  wind  blows  open  the  door  at  the 
right  and  a  breeze  fills  the  room,  blowing  the 
smoke  and  fluttering  the  garments  of  the 
women.  The  drum  and  rattle  cease  and  fall 
to  the  floor.  Immediately  Granny  raises  her 
face  in  awe,  seeing  a  vision.  She  stretches  out 
her  arms  toward  it,  speaking  brokenly.] 

Sam!  Yes,  I  sees  yo'.  I  heahs  yo'.  Yes,  my 
Babe-um.— Talk  on.— Tell  me.— Wat! 

[She  pauses,  listening  intently,  with  eyes  fixed  on 
the  unseen.] 

Leave  'im  go! — Oh,  how  kin  I? — Gi'  me  strength. 
[She  pauses  again  and  bows  her  head.    After  a 
moment   she   again   raises  her  face   to   the 
vision.] 

I  I  knows. — I  fuhgot.     I'll  do  hit. — I  des  wen' 
backerds  but  I'm  wif  yo'  now. — Yas — Ez  we 


30  GRANNY  MAUMEE 

fuhgives  uthehs — yas — I  knows — we'll  do  hit. — • 
We  will  be  tuhgetheh. — Ez  we  fuhgives  uthehs. 

[A  knocking  is  heard  on  the  door  back,  at  left  of 
the  fireplace.  GRANNY  turns  her  head  and 
listens.  After  a  pause  the  knocking  begins 
again  more  imperatively.  She  turns,  seizes 
the  tripod  brazier,  casts  it  into  the  fireplace, 
and  staggers  toward  the  door,  taking  her 
stand  beside  it.  The  knocking  pauses.] 

Go  back,  w'ite  man.  Ror"  back,  w'ite  wave  er  de 
fiery  lek.  Once  you  lit  de  fieh  an7  bu'n  me. 
Once  you  po'  de  blood  an'  pizen  me,  but  dis 
time  Sam  an'  me  we's  de  stronges'  an'  we  leaves 
you  go,  we  leaves  you  live  tuh  mek  yore  peace 
wif  Gawd.  We're  puore  bloods  heah,  royal 
black — all  but  one  an'  we'll  do  de  bes'  we  kin 
erbout  'im.  He  shill  be  name  Sam.  Go  back, 
w'ite  man,  an'  sin  no  mo'. 

[She  pauses  and  listens.     There  is  no  further 

sound  from  without.    GRANNY  staggers  over 

to  the  sisters  and  shakes  them,  saying  in  a 

faint  voice:] 

Wake  up,  Sapphie;  come  tuh,  Puhl.  [As  she 
does  so  she  looks  upward  again  and  cries  out:]  Sam, 
we  done  hit,  an'  we  stays  tuhgetheh ! 

[She  sinks  down  slowly  to  the  floor.    The  sisters 

have    stirred    and    looked    about    stupidly. 


GRANNY  MAUMEE  31 

PEARL  now  sees  GRANNY  and  bends  over 
her.] 

PEARL 

[With  a  cry.]    Ah — Granny  Maumee's  dead. 

[She  runs  terror-stricken  to  the  door  at  back, 
crouching  beside  it.  SAPPHIE  then,  after 
gazing  intently  at  GRANNY,  suddenly  runs 
toward  the  door  and  dragging  it  open  rushes 
out,  followed  by  her  sister.] 

BOTH  GIRLS 

[Outside.]    Granny  Maumee's  dead!    Granny 
Maumee's  dead! 

[Their  voices  gradually  die  away  in  the  distance, 
the  door  blows  shut.  The  body  of  GRANNY 
MAUMEE  is  left  alone  in  the  room.] 

CURTAIN. 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

SCENE:  Night  in  a  room  used  for  kitchen,  dining- 
room  and  laundry  by  a  colored  family.  A 
lamp  is  set  upon  a  central  table  laid  with  a 
spotless  table  cloth.  Baskets  of  clothes  stand 
on  several  chairs.  At  the  back  is  a  cook-stove 
and  to  the  left  of  this  a  door.  There  are  also 
doorways  at  the  right  and  left  of  the  room. 
LUCY  SPARROW,  a  worn,  sweet-faced  woman 
of  forty,  is  sprinkling  clothes  at  an  ironing- 
board  at  left  with  her  back  turned  to  the  table 
beside  which,  on  a  high  stool,  is  perched  a  small 
boy,  BOOKER  SPARROW.  Both  the  boy  and 
the  woman  as  well  as  the  room  show  a  pains 
taking  neatness  despite  the  disorder  necessary 
in  the  process  of  a  professional  "wash" 

LUCY 
Who  make  you? 

BOOKER 
God.    Ain't  the  mush  done  now? 

LUCY 
It's  done  but  I  ain't  done  wif  you.     You  got 

[35] 


36  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

to  learn  good  befo'  you  can  eat  good.    Who  re 
deem  you? 

BOOKER 

Christ.  Ill  stop  being  hungry  for  it  if  I  don't 
get  it  now. 

LUCY 

Bettah  lose  youah  wishes  an'  youah  ahms  an' 
laigs  an'  everything  youah  body's  fix  wif  an' 
keep  youah  immortal  soul.  Who  sanctify  you? 

BOOKER 

The  Holy  Ghost.  I  don't  want  nothing  but 
mush. 

LUCY 

Well,  you  ain'  goin'  to  git  hit  twell  you  luhns 
de  questions.  What  de  chief  en'  of  man? 

BOOKER 

Chief  end  of  man  is  to  glorify  God  and  enjoy 
himself  for  ever. 

LUCY 

[Coming  swiftly  forward  and  confronting  him 
with  a  threatening  look:]  Enjoy  hisself!  I  ain' 
neveh  teach  you  dat.  You  know  betteh'n  dat. 
Man  got  no  right  to  enjoy  hisself.  He  got  to 
enjoy  Gawd.  You  knows  dat  as  well  as  you 
knows  eatin'.  An'  you  got  to  say  it  an'  what's 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  37 

mo'  you  got  to  live  it.    Now  what  de  chief  en' 
of  man? 

BOOKER 
Enjoy  God  forever. 

LUCY 

Dat's  mo'  like  it.  [She  turns  her  back  and 
going  to  the  ironing-board  resumes  her  labours, 
still  talking.]  I'm  raisin'  you  fo'  de  Kingdom 
an'  you'ah  goin'  in  de  Kingdom  ef  pushin'  '11 
Ian'  you  dere.  Because  dis  time  anutheh  yeah 
you  may  be  in  some  lonesome  graveyard. 
[Singing:] 

In  some  lonesome  graveyard, 
Oh,  Lawd,  no  time  to  pray. 

[As  she  sings  BOOKER  stealthily  slips  off  his 
stool  and  going  around  to  the  opposite  side 
of  the  table  takes  a  spoon  with  which  he  ap 
proaches  a  dish  set  upon  a  warming-shelf 
fixed  to  the  stove.  He  furtively  dips  his  spoon 
in  the  dish  and  begins  to  eat.  LUCY  con 
tinuing  her  singing.] 

Play  on  youah  harp,  little  David, 
Little  Davy,  how  ole  are  you? 
"I'm  only  twelve  yeahs  ole." 


38  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

[She  turns  and  discovers  BOOKER.]  What !  You 
stealin'!  I'll  show  you!  [She  gives  him  a  cuff 
and  a  shake,  depositing  him  again  upon  his  stool.] 
You  shorely  is  on  de  way  to  de  fieh  but  Fm 
goin'  pluck  you  out  ef  it  skins  you  alive.  Steal, 
will  you?  What  de  seven!  commandment? 

BOOKER 
[Sniveling.]    Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

LUCY 

See  dat.  You  knows  it  but  you  des  won't  live 
hit.  Well,  I'm  goin'  live  it  into  you.  I'm  goin' 
slap  sin  out  of  you.  [She  gives  him  another  shake.] 
An'  de  grace  into  you.  Now  you  say  dat  com 
mandment  sevumty  times  sevun.  Begin.  Say 
hit. 

BOOKER 

Thou  shalt  not  steal.  Thou  shalt  not  steal — 
[The  door  at  back  opens  and  MADISON  SPARROW 
stands  in  the  doorway  looking  on  the  scene 
within  the  room.  He  is  a  tail,  loose-jointed, 
lazy-looking  man.  In  one  hand  he  carries  a 
long  green  bag.] 

MADISON 

[After  a  survey  of  the  situation.]  What  de  boy 
do? 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  39 

LUCY 
He  steal,  dat  what  he  do. 

MADISON 
Urn.    What  he  steal? 

LUCY 
Mush.    I  tole  him  not  to  tech  it. 

MADISON 
Well,  he  was  hongry,  weren't  he? 

LUCY 

Dat  am'  de  p'int.  Tweren't  his  till  I  give  it 
to  him. 

MADISON 

[Places  the  bag  carefully  by  the  doorway, 
throws  his  hat  upon  it,  then  seats  himself  at  the 
table.]  Bring  on  dat  mush.  I'm  tia'hd  of  dese 
fool  doin's.  Dey  ain't  no  git  ahead  wif  um.  Ef 
de  boy  wants  mush  let  him  git  mush. 

LUCY 

[Placing  food  before  him  on  the  table.]  Yes,  but 
not  rob  it. 

MADISON 
Who  talkin'  'bout  robbin'? 

LUCY 
Madison,  dat's  de  wrong  kin'  of  trash  fo'  dis 


40  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

baby  to  heah.    Go  lay  down,  honey.    Tek  de 
bowl  wif  you. 

[BOOKER  whines  but  lakes  a  dish  and  goes  to 
doorway  at  Left.] 

MADISON 

No,  hit's  de  right  kin'  of  preachin'.  I'm 
tia'hd  of  all  dat  ol'  fashion  way  of  do'n'.  Ef 
I  wuz  to  wuk  my  ahms  off  dat  oP  fashion  way 
I  couldn't  git  no  furder. 

LUCY 
What  you  bin  wukin'  at  dis  yeah,  Madison? 

MADISON 

Dat's  it.  You  know  dat  I'm  bin  lookin'  fo' 
it  and  couldn't  find  hit. 

LUCY 
What  you  wuk  at  last  yeah? 

MADISON 
You  knows  I  wuk  in  de  strippin'  factory. 

LUCY 
Jes'  two  weeks. 

MADISON 

You  knows  I  wuk  till  I  strain  my  back.  But 
neveh  min'  about  all  dat.  I  done  tuhn  oveh  a 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  41 

new  leaf.    I  goin'  to  be  a  business  man.    I  goin' 
to  let  de  otheh  man  wuk. 

LUCY 
'Sposin'  everybody  was  to  do  dat  away. 

MADISON 

Let  'em  do  hit.  I  don'  ask  nothin'  of  nobody. 
I  goin'  to  have  every  toof  in  my  haid  covehed 
wif  gol'.  I'll  get  youah'n  an'  Book's  fix  dat  way 
too.  I  goin'  to  have  plenty  society  grub  in  me 
all  de  time.  I  ain'  goin'  to  let  my  fam'ly  suffeh. 
I  got  too  sweet  a  disposishun  fo'  dat.  I'll  git 
'em  whateveh  I  want. 

BOOKER 

[Lingering  in  doorway.]  When  you  get  rich 
will  you  get  you  the  guitar,  Daddy? 

[Lucy  waves  BOOKER  through  doorway.     He 
vanishes.] 

MADISON 

I'll  git  it  an'  I  got  it.  Watch  me  now.  [He 
goes  over  to  the  bag  by  the  door  and  reaching  in  it 
produces  a  handsome  guitar.]  Dat's  de  beginnin' 
er  good  times,  boy. 

LUCY 

[With  sickening  apprehension.]  Madison, 
where  you  git  dat  insterment? 


42  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

MADISON 

Dats'  de  Lawd's  insterment,  Lucy.  He  done 
per  vide  it. 

LUCY 
Oh,  Madison,  dat  ain'  youah'n. 

MADISON 
'Tis  now,  honey. 

LUCY 

No,  youah  las'  dime  you  spent  Sunday  an7 
I  ain'  give  you  no  money  since.  You  got  it 
wifout  payin'  for  it.  You  charged  it. 

MADISON 

Yassah,  I  got  it  wifout  payin'  for  it  an'  I  goin' 
to  keep  on  a-gittin'  it  wifout  payin'  for  hit  as 
long  as  de  gittin's  good. 

LUCY 
How  you  like  to  be  treat  dat  way? 

MADISON 
What  way? 

LUCY 

If  you  was  keepin'  a  store,  to  have  folks  charge 
things  when  dey  didn'  know  how  dey  could 
pay. 

MADISON 
I'm  willin'  fo'  to  be  treat  dat  way  ef  dey  can 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  43 

do  hit.    Let  'em  come  an'  git  my  things  if  dey 
finds  any. 

LUCY 

[Breaking  down.]  Oh,  I  cain'  stan'  hit. 
Youah  sinkin'  fas'  down  to  de  fiery  lake  an' 
you's  pullin'  my  Baby  down  too. 

MADISON 

/  No,  I's  raisin'  him  up  an'  I  goin'  to  Ian'  us  all 
in  a  sof  place  on  dat  Easy  Street  I  heah  em 
singin'  'bout  so  long  wifout  seein'. 

LUCY 

[Suddenly  examining  the  guitar.]  Wheah  you 
git  dis  guitar? 

MADISON 
What  guitar? 

LUCY 

Dis.  Oh,  Madison,  dis  is  'Zek'l  Williams' 
own  guitar  dat  he  wouldn'  sell.  Dis  is  de  guitar 
dat  nobody  couldn'  buy.  How  you  come  by  it? 

MADISON 

Look  heah,  woman.  You  act  like  I  stole  de 
guitar.  You  don't  think  I'm  a  thief,  do  you? 

LUCY 
How  you  come  by  hit? 


44  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

MADISON 
I  got  it  off  Wilson  Byrd. 

LUCY 
Dat  sneakin'  w'ite  man.    How'd  he  git  it? 

MADISON 
I  didn'  ask  him. 

LUCY 
What  you  give  him  fo'  hit? 

MADISON 

Oh,  dat's  anotheh  story.  Him  an'  me's  goin' 
in  business  togetheh. 

LUCY 

Oh,  Madison,  dat  w'ite  man  stole  dis  guitar. 
Oh,  take  it  back  dis  minute  an'  snatch  youah 
soul  from  de  bu'nin'. 

MADISON 

Who,  me?  What  you  tak  me  fo',  gal?  Take 
back  a  guitar  to  de  rich  man,  de  man  what  own 
de  very  house  we  live  in ! 

LUCY 
Well,  we  soon  will  buy  hit. 

MADISON 

Dat's  right.  We  will.  But  dat  ain'  de  ques 
tion.  I  didn'  git  dis  guitar  fo'  to  return  it,  I  git 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  45 

it  fo'  to  play  it.  I  boun'  to  play  it  cause  I'm 
goin'  to  be  er  rich  man  soon  an'  I  got  to  have  a 
plenty  music  in  me. 

LUCY 
You  goin'  to  git  rich  playin'  guitar? 

MADISON 

[Laughing  comfortably.]  Eh,  yah,  yah. 
Whoopee!  No  indeedy.  I  flies  higher  dan 
music  flies.  I'm  one  er  dese  heah  kine  er 
'lectioneerin'  mens  which  make  dere  money 
work  fo'  um.  Dey  sen's  one  dollah  out  in  de 
heat  an'  sweats  her  twell  she  rolls  home  wif 
anutheh. 

LUCY 

How  you  goin'  to  put  money  out,  Madison, 
lessen  you  wuks  an'  gits  de  money? 

MADISON 

[Cunningly.]  Oh,  don'  yo'  botheh  youah 
haid  long  er  dat.  I  bin  down  low  and  folks 
trample  me  des  same  as  a  wu'm,  but  now  I'm 
goin'  spread  my  wings  an'  sting  'em  like  a  king 
bee.  Whaffo'  I  lay  dere  an'  let'm  trample  me? 
'Twere  because  I  lack  conferdence.  I  puts  my 
'pen'ance  on  dis  promis',  I  puts  my  'pen'ance 
on  dat,  an'  dey  all  fails  me. 


46  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

LUCY 
You  ain't  neveh  put  youah  trus'  in  Gawd. 

MADISON 

Yassuh,  I  did,  an'  Gawd  He  up  an'  gimme 
de  go-by  too.  What  He  bin  doin'  fo'  me? 
Nuthin'.  Now  I  goin'  spit  on  my  ban's  an' 
whu'l  in  an'  trus'  myse'f .  An'  I  feels  lots  betteh. 
I  can  feel  conferdence  wukin'  all  oveh  me.  I 
casts  'em  all  off.  I'm  lookin'  out  fo'  myse'f. 
M-m-m — It  took  me  long  time  to  git  heah  but 
now  I'm  heah  let  'em  look  out  for  me.  [His 
voice  rises  to  a  chant.] 

M — m — m — Midnight  on  de  sea.  All  de  lights 
out.  I'm  carryin'  hod  on  Jacob'  laddeh  to 
build  me  a  new  house  an'  I'm  buildin  it  high, 
man.  Don'  tech  me.  I'm  a  flame  of  fieh  an' 
I'll  singe  you  sho'.  If  dey  asks  fo'  me  tell  'em 
say,  "I  saw  somethin'  sailin'  up  but  he  was 
headin'  fo'  a  high  hill  on  de  sun  an'  my  eyes 
failed  me."  Tell  'em  say,  "He  had  de  fo'  win's 
runnin'  like  stallions  to  fetch  up  wif  him  but 
dey  carried  'em  out,  an'  buried  'em  in  de 
valley.  He  bus'  dere  hea'ts!"  Tell  'em  say, 
"He  was  herdin'  lightnin's  like  sheep  an'  dey 
wuz  too  slow  an'  he  picked  'em  up  an'  sheared 
'em  an'  sent  'em  home." 

Dat's  me,  I'm  de  one  you'll  be  talkin'  bout. 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  47 

Fer  why?  'Cause  I  cas'  off  ever' thing  an'  I 
puts  my  trus'  in  myself  an'  nuthin'  can't  hole 
me.  De  mo'  I  says  it  de  mo'  I  feels  confer- 
dence.  I  feels  it  a  wukin'. 

LUCY 
You  goin'  to  wuk,  Madison? 

MADISON 

Yes,  indeedy.  I  got  to  wuk  an'  wuk  ha'd. 
I  can't  shirk  none. 

LUCY 
What  wuk  you  goin'  to  do? 

MADISON 

I'm  a  stock  brokin'  man.  I  goin'  into  de 
stock  brokin'  business  tomorrer. 

LUCY 
How? 

MADISON 
Buyin'  an'  sellin',  dat's  how  an'  which  too. 

LUCY 

De  Devil's  wrastlin'  wif  you,  Madison,  an' 
you's  perishin'  fas'.  Ef  you  keeps  on  in  dis  paf 
you'll  Ian'  mongs'  de  rocks  er  mournin'.  You's 
let  somebody  tu'n  you  roun'. 


48  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

MADISON 

Not  me.  Nobody  can't  tu'n  me  roun'.  I 
dreamed  it  an'  I  dreamed  it  right,  face 
fo'mos'  an'  on  de  run. 

LUCY 
How  dream? 

MADISON 

Las'  night  an'  day  befo'  yistiddy  night  an' 
night  befo'  dat.  I  wuz  layin'  groanin',  "  O  Lawd, 
how  long,"  an'  I  heah  a  voice  say,  "Git  up  an' 
come  a-runnin'."  Looks  up  an'  sees  a  fine  w'ite 
saddle  hoss.  Hoss  say, 

"Ride  me  right  an'  I'll  guide  you  right." 

On  I  gits  an'  off  he  goes,  slick  as  a  rancid 
transom  car.  Comes  to  high  hill  lookin'  down 
on  de  sun  an'  moon.  Hoss  stop  an'  say, 

"Brung  you  heah  to  give  you  noos 
De  worl'  is  youahn  to  pick  an'  choose." 

I  ax  him  "How  dat?"  Hoss  say: 

"How  is  how  an'  why  is  why, 
Buy  low  an'  sell  high." 

I  say  to  him,  "I  got  no  money  to  buy.    Wheah  I 
goin'  git  de  fun's  to  buy  low?"    Hoss  respon': 

"Trus'  yo'se'f  an'  take  youah  own, 
Git  de  meat  an'  leave  de  bone, 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  49 

Bus'  de  nut  an'  fling  em  de  shell, 
Ride  an'  let  em  walk  a  spell, 
Findeh's  keepeh's,  loseh's  weepeh's, 
I  hope  dese  few  lines  find  you  well." 

I  ax  him  who  tole  him  all  dis  an'  hoss  say : 

"Ole  hoss  Grab  will  nevah  balk, 
All  dis  heah  is  w'ite  man  talk." 

VJ 

Dat  what  de  hoss  say  to  me  in  my  true  dream 
ev'y  night  dis  week  an'  I'm  a-goin'  to  bide  by 
hit  twell  de  las'  er  pea  time.  'Cause  I'm  er  true 
dreameh  an7  my  mammy  she  wufc  befo'  me. 

LUCY 
What  come  of  de  hoss  in  de  dream,  Madison? 

MADISON 

Dat's  all.  Hoss  went  up  in  smoke  an'  I  come 
down  in  bed. 

LUCY 

Hoss  went  up  in  smoke!  No,  hit  went  down 
in  smoke  an'  fiah. 

MADISON 

Now  look-a  heah,  woman.  I'm  goin'  to  make 
you  a  good  livin'  f'um  now  on.  I'm  goin'  into 
business  termorrer.  I'm  goin'  in  de  specalatin' 
wu'k.  I'm  goin'  to  buy  low  an'  sell  high. 


50  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

LUCY 
What  kin  you  buy  wif?    You  got  no  money. 

MADISON 

[Hesitating  but  collecting  his  forces  gradually.] 
Oh,  ain't  I  tell  you  'bout  dat?  I  got  it  in  de 
dream. 

LUCY 
In  de  dream? 

MADISON 

Um  Hmmm.  You  know  dat  hoss  I  tole  you 
'bout.  Well'm,  jes'  fo'  we  pa' ted  he  prance  up 
th'ough  a  starry  fieF  an'  come  to  a  gyarden 
fence.  Oveh  dat  fence  he  lep  an',  man,  she  was  a 
fine  gyarden.  "Whose  patch  dish  yer?"  I  say 
to  him.  Hoss  say: 

"If  you  asks  me  grab  what  you  see." 

Den  he  reaches  down  an'  pulls  up  a  tu'nip 
wif  his  teef  an'  gives  it  to  me  an'  say, 

"Dis  gyarden  truck  will  fetch  you  luck." 

[He  watches  LUCY  furtively.]  An'  I  takes  an' 
sta'ts  to  peel  dis  tu'nip  an'  what  does  I  find?  j.  I 
finds  she's  a  fine  fat  roll  er  bills,  dem  tu'nip  tops 
is  greenbacks. 

LUCY 

So  youah  money  is  dream  money? 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  .  51 

MADISON 

Well,  no,  not  ezackly.  De  boss  whispeh 
sumpin  in  my  eah  an'  told  me  how  to  make 
dat  dream  money  real  money.  An'  I  took  de 
hint  an'  done  it  today.  An'  on  dat  money  I'll 
buy  low  an'  gouge  'em  all  good. 

LUCY 
How  much  you  got? 

MADISON 

Well'm — [He  hesitates.]  I  got  a  little  an'  den 
some.  I  got  erbout — fifty  er  so. 

LUCY 
Wheah  you  git  it?      [She  catches  hold  of  him.] 

MADISON 

Tu'n  me  loose,  woman.  I  goin'  to  baid.  I 
got  to  make  early  sta't.  [He  pulls  off  his  coat.] 

LUCY 

[Wildly.]  I  ain'  goin'  to  let  you  stay  in  sin. 
[She  snatches  the  coat  from  him.]  I  goin'  take  dis 
money  an'  make  you  say  wheah  youfgot  it. 

[She    begins    hastily    searching    through    the 
pockets  of  the  coat.] 


52  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

MADISON 

[Calmly  regarding  her  with  great  good  humour 
and  breaking  into  a  laugh  as  she  fails  in  her 
search.]  Eh,  yah,  yah,  sea'ch  an'  look,  sea'ch  an' 
look. 

LUCY 

Oh,  Madison,  ain'  yo'  got  no  honin'  ter  be 
hones'  at  all? 

MADISON 

Hones'!  What  kin'  er  fool  talk  is  dat?  I 
done  got  my  ear-string  bus'  now  an'  dem 
preachah  wu'ds  can't  fool  me  no  mo'.  You'll 
neveh  fin'  it,  honey.  'Cause  why?  'Cause  I'm 
got  it  in  my  pants  an'  I  goin'  to  keep  it  f'um 
a  foolish  woman. 

LUCY 

[Running  to  him  desperately.]  You  got  to  give 
it  to  me. 

MADISON 

Gal,  ef  you  don'  tu'n  me  loose  I'll  git  ugly. 
Now,  look  heah.  I  wants  to  heah  de  las'  er  dis. 
I  got  new  ideahs.  I  got  big  plots  en  plans.  I 
done  give  you  de  plankses  in  my  flatfo'm  an' 
I'm  a-goin'  to  stan'  on  hit.  When  I  makes  a 
lot  mo'  money  in  de  broker  business  'Im  a-goin' 
to  give  you  all  de  gold  youah  ap'un'll  hold,  ev'y 
day  er  youah  life,  an'  you  won'  have  to  wait  long. 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  53 

But  till  dat  day  an'  to  dat  time  I'm  de  treasu'eh 
er  dis  lodge  an'  I'm  de  stake  holdeh  er  dis  race 
an'  dat  money  stays  in  de  pu'se  in  de  hip  er  my 
oP  jeanses. 

[He  says  this  last  slowly  and  with  growing  em 
phasis  and  as  he  ends,  gives  himself  a  resound 
ing  thwack  on  the  hip  over  his  pocket.  There 
is  a  moment's  pause.  He  puts  his  hand 
hurriedly  in  the  pocket  and  then  dazedly  into 
one  on  the  other  hip.] 

What  dis?    Wheah  dat  roll? 

LUCY 

[Fearfully.]    I  ain'  tech  it.    You  know  I  ain' 
bin  neah  you. 

MADISON 
[Rushing  to  her.]    Gimme  de  coat. 

[He  snatches  the  coat  and  begins  going  through 
the  pockets,  from  time  to  time  searching  and 
slapping  the  garments  he  is  wearing.] 

Didn't  you  git  it?    You  mus'  er  tuk  it. 

LUCY 

No,  Madison,  I  ain'  see  nor  tech  it.     You 
watched  me. 

MADISON 
Oh,  Lawd,  he'p  me  look. 


54  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

[He  begins  to  run  around  the  room,  looking 
on  the  table,  picking  up  articles  and  letting 
them  fall,  dropping  on  his  knees  and  hunt 
ing  under  the  table  and  chairs.  A  she  searches 
he  grows  more  frantic.] 

Oh,  my  Lawd,  Oh,  wheah  is  it?  I  got  to  have 
it.  Oh,  I  couldn'  lose  it,  hit  ain'  mine  ter  lose. 
Stay  by  me,  Lucy,  an'  he'p  me  fin'  it,  git  down 
on  youah  knees,  Lucy.  Oh,  wheah  did  I  drop 
it?  I'm  gittin'  old  an'  needs  it.  Ef  I  lose  dis 
I  lose  all  my  push.  I  was  jes'  goin'  into  bus 
iness  an'  we  all  wuz  goin'  to  fly  high.  I  got  to 
fin'  it.  I  ain'  give  up.  Lemme  think.  Oh,  I 
hopes  some  hones'  puhson  foun'  it.  Lemme 
come  on  down — Know  I  put  it  on  dat  side 
'cause  dat  de  side  Mistah  Long  he  wuz  on— 
Oh,  I'll  go  crazy — [He  strikes  his  forehead  groan 
ing.} 

LUCY 

[Starting.]  Mistah  Long!  He's  cashiah  in 
de  Dime  Savin's!  How  he  give  you  money? 

MADISON 

Oh,  lemme  see — he  gimme  de  money  an'  I 
put  it  right  in  yere.  [He  fumbles  again  dis 
tractedly  in  his  pocket.] 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  55 

LUCY 

[Pursuing  him  desperately.]  Onliest  money 
at  de  Dime  Savin's  is  de  money.  You  couldn't 
draw  hit  out.  You  didn'  do  dat, — you  couldn'- 
Tell  me  if  you  did  fo'  I'll  fin'  it  out  tomorrer— 
Oh,  tell  me  true — you  couldn'  when  it's  in  my 
name — tell  me  now  fo'  I'll  find  it  out. 

MADISON 
Oh,  I  can't  stand  it. 

LUCY 

Ef  you  wan'  me  to  he'p  you  den  be  free  wif 
me.  How  you  draw  money  from  de  Bank?  I 
give  you  no  papeh.  You  couldn'  draw  de  money. 

MADISON 
Wilson  Byrd,  he  gimme  de  papeh. 

LUCY 
I  give  him  no  papeh. 

MADISON 
He  write  it  fo'  you. 

LUCY 

Oh,  Gawd,  dat  w'ite  man  write  my  name. 
You  drawed  de  money — I  see  it  now.  You  had 
dealin's  wif  a  fo'geh,  Wilson  Byrd. 


56  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

MADISON 

Spar'  me  an'  he'p  me.  He  tol'  me  ef  I  draw 
de  money  he'd  take  me  into  business  wif  him 
an'  gimme  de  guitar  besides. 

LUCY  % 

Did  you  spar'  me?  Fifty  dollahs!  You  said 
fifty,  didn'  you?  How  could  you  do  hit? 
More'n  six  months'  ha'd  slavin'.  Six  months 
mo'  befo'  I  can  resto'  it  back.  I  could  a  bought 
de  house  tomorrer  mo'nin'  an'  now  hit's  six 
months  off  to  pay  in  dat  fifty.  It  was  fifty, 
didn'  you  say?  Maybe  'twuzn'  dat  much. 
Tell  me  right.  I'll  fin'  it  out  tomorrer. 

MADISON 
Dis  yere'll  kill  me  ef  I  can't  think. 

LUCY 

How  much  you  draw?  Tell  me  right.  Look 
at  me.  Were  hit  fifty?  [She  holds  his  eye.] 
Less?  Mo'?  How  much?  [She  continues  to 
hold  his  lustreless  eyes,  reading  them.}  A  hunde'd? 
Two  hunde'd?  Eight  hunde'd?  [A  pause  en 
sues  as  she  reads  the  truth  in  his  face.]  All  of  hit! 
[She  sinks  in  a  chair.]  Twelve  yeahs'  labour 
sence  I  married  you  an'  termorrer  I  wuz  goin' 
to  mek  de  payment  an'  we'd  a  bin  undeh  owah 
own  roof.  I'm  done.  I  could  a  paid  off  pa't, 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  57 

mebbe  fifty,  but  I  won'  las'  twelve  yeahs  mo' 
at  de  same  thing.  But  I  thank  Thee,  Lawd,  dat 
it  wuz  stole  f'um  us  all  ef  hit  had  to  be  stole. 

MADISON 

Ef  I  could  on'y  think.  Had  hit  in  de  bank — 
felt  hit  an'  had  it  on  Thu'd  Street — slapped  hit 
an'  had  it  at  Joe's  house — slapped  hit  an'  had 
it  comin'  up  de  alley — jes'  fo'  I  clum  de  hill— 
lemme  see — clum  de  hill — went  in  th'oo  Wilson 
Byrd's  hedge  fence — he  gimme  de  guitar- 
scrape  my  back  comin'  out — [His  face  shows 
gradual  recollection,  and  suddenly  brightens.] 
I  knows  now!  Dat's  hit!  In  dat  white  man's 
yard  wheah  he  gimme  de  guitar!  I  wuz  jes' 
goin'  to  give  him  de  money  when  somebody  / 
grabbed  him  f'um  behin'.  He  give  a  squawk 
an'  skeered  me.  I  run  out  th'oo  his  hedge  fence 
an'  scrape  my  back.  I  scrape  de  pocketbook 
out.  She's  dere!  In  dat  Wilson  Byrd's  yard. 
I'll  git  it  yit.  Watch  me.  [He  grabs  his  hat  and 
runs  excitedly  toward  the  door.] 

LUCY 

[Rushing  toward  him.]  No,  sumpin'  might 
happen.  You  might  git  mix  up  wif  him  ergin. 
Lemme  go,  but  I  mus'  resto'  dis  guitar  at  Uncle 
Williams,  as  I  go  by  his  house.  I'll  slip  it 
on  his  porch.  Maybe  he'll  neveh  know  it  wuz 


58  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

gone.    Oh,  if  somebody  had  seen  it  heah!    How 
could  I  have  stood  it? 

[She  puts  on  a  shawl  and  takes  up  the  bag  but  as 
she  lays  her  hand  on  the  door-knob  a  loud 
knock  is  heard  on  the  door.  Both  start  back 
and  wait.  The  knocking  is  repeated.  She 
throws  off  the  shawl,  places  the  bag  in  a 
corner  and  returning  to  the  door,  opens  it. 
She  greets  the  visitor  in  a  strained  voice, 
almost  with  a  shriek.] 

Unele  Williams!    Step  in,  please. 

[A  man  enters.  The  newcomer  is  old,  with 
white  hair  and  beard.  He  is  probably  of 
Moorish  descent.  He  is  so  small  and  weaz 
ened  as  to  be  almost  a  dwarf,  but  his  whole 
demeanor  indicates  great  latent  power.  A 
strong  personality,  dominating  the  two  others 
from  the  first  instant.] 

WILLIAMS 
Good  evening  Lucy. 

[He  seems  to  be  unaware  of  the  presence  of 
MADISON.  He  comes  forward  with  little 
mincing  steps  and  an  old  man's  gesture,  then 
takes  off  his  hat  and  sees  about  him.  The 
others  stand  watching  him,  transfixed.] 
Ain7  you  goin'  shut  de  do',  Lucy?  I  feels  draf  s. 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  59 

I'm  gittin'  old  an'  catches  cold  easy.    Ain'  you 
goin'  take  my  hat?    [She  reaches  for  it  mechan 
ically,  watching  him  apprehensively.]     No,   de 
hat— not  de  stick— oP  pu'son  like  me  always 
need  good  stout  stick  er  club  case  er  havin' 
faintin'  spell— sumpin'  to  lean  on.    Now,  wheah 
a  cheer,  bettah  fetch  me  er  cheer  fo'  feah  I  might 
set  on  sumpin'   you  wouldn'   choose  fo'   me. 
[She  obeys  dumbly  and  brings  a  chair  to  him.] 
Set  it  neareh.    Dat's  right.    Now  gimme  youah 
shouldeh  an'  ease  me  down.     Ah— [He  leans 
heavily  on  her  and  sinks  totteringly  into  the  chair 
with  a  great  show  of  feebleness.]     Now  take  a 
cheer  yo'se'f.    I  'spize  to  see  a  lady  standin'  an' 
me  takin'  my  res',  old  ez  I  is.    [She  obeys,  watch 
ing  him  with  doubt  and  dread.]    Set  it  dah,  wheah 
I  can  see  you  good.     [MADISON  is  standing  up 
by  the  wall,  right,  gazing  at  him  as  though  paralyzed 
with  fear.]    Dah  now.    We  kin  be  ca'm  and  have 
a  nice  talk.      Does  you  know  what  business  I 
come  yere  fo' tonight?    [He  pauses. ]    You  does, 
doesn't  you? 

LUCY 

[Almost  beside  herself  with  nervous  tension.] 
You— come  to  see— ef— [Recovering  herself  with 
a  mighty  effort.]  Oh,  yes,  you  come  to  look 
oveh  de  stove  an'  see  ef  you  like  to  buy 
hit. 


60  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

WILLIAMS 

[Musingly.]  M-m.  Well,  I  reckon — dat's  hit. 
Yes,  dey  tells  me  y'all  has  a  wahmin'  stove  to 
sell  an7  now  katydid  cease,  fros'  ain'  fur  off,  an' 
I  needs  hit.  Is  dish  yere  de  one? 

LUCY 

[Rising  and  rushing  toward  door  at  side.]  No, 
not  dat.  Hit's  outside — ef  you  please  to  step 
out. 

WILLIAMS 

Well'm,  I'll  take'n  look  her  oveh.  [She 
hastily  lights  a  candle  as  he  rises  and  totters  in  the 
wrong  direction.] 

LUCY 

Th'oo  heah,  th'oo  heah.  De  stove's  out  in  de 
woodshed.  [She  grasps  and  guides  him.] 

WILLIAMS 

Ah— well'm.  Urn  hm.  I  always  gives  things 
er  good  lookin'  oveh  befo'  takin'  stock  in  'm. 
You  needn'  come  erlong.  I  lived  so  long  in  dis 
house  befo'  you  wuz  bawn  dat  I  knows  my  way. 
Is  de  stove  an  easy  wood  eateh? 

LUCY 
Yes,  yes. 

[She  gives  him  the  candle  and  almost  pushes  him 
through  doorway  at  side  as  she  follows  him  out. 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  61 

MADISON,  who  has  watched  fearfully  from  a 
dark  corner,  darts  forward  and  looks  after 
them,  listening.  He  then  runs  toward  the  door 
at  back  but  hesitates  before  it  and  turns  as 
LUCY  comes  swiftly  in  from  outer  room, 
closing  the  door  softly.] 

MADISON 
What  he  say?    Do  he  know? 

LUCY 

[Desperately  seizing  the  bag  and  pressing  it 
into  his  hands  as  she  turns  him  again  toward 
doorway  at  back.]  Oh,  I  cain'  tell.  On'y  resto' 
dis  in  case  he  don'  know  er  case  he  do.  Now's 
de  one  chance  to  be  hones'. 

MADISON 
Huh.    What  erbout  dat  eight  hunderd  dollah? 

LUCY 
I  don'  know.    Trus'  Gawd  an'  be  hones'. 

MADISON 

Huh  uh.  One  of  us  has  got  to  go  look  fo'  dat 
money. 

LUCY 
One  of  us  has  got  to  take  back  de  guitar. 


62  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

MADISON 
I'm  goin'  fo'  de  money. 

LUCY 

Den  I'll  take  dis.  [She  takes  up  the  guitar 
ana  she  and  MADISON  go  toward  door  at  back. 
Then  she  halts.]  Oh,  Madison,  you  can  do  bofe. 
One  of  us  has  got  to  stay  wif  Uncle  Williams. 
But  take  back  de  guitar  first. 

MADISON 

All  right.  I'll  go.  An'  I  ain't  played  on  dis 
heah  but  twice.  [He  takes  the  guitar  from  her.] 

LUCY 

Go  now.  Can  you  fin'  youah  way  to  his  porch 
in  de  dahk? 

MADISON 

Will  we  find  de  money?  Dat's  de  p'oblem  I 
wants  de  answeh  fo'. 

[LucY  opens  door  at  back  to  go  out.  MADISON 
is  at  her  side.  Both  start  back.  WILLIAMS 
stands  before  them  in  the  open  doorway.] 

LUCY 

[Haltingly,  after  a  pause.]  How — you  like 
— de  stove?  ^'i-c/co'O  &£Uiii<6/YKAJ  ~ 

WILLIAMS 
[Entering  more  vigorously  than  before.]    Well'm, 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  63 

befo'  we  goes  any  furder  we  betteh  come 
neareh  de  real  p'int  an'  question.  I  didn'  come 
fo'  no  stove  dis  night.  [MADISON  shrinks  back 
into  the  shadows.] 

LUCY 
[Slowly.]    Yo'— don'— wan'- 

WlLLIAMS 

No'm.  To  be  sho',  I  might  tek  de  stove  one 
er  dese  days,  but  dat  ain'  my  erran'  now.  Hit's 
dis;  does  you  know  when  we  mek  de  bargum 
about  you  buyin'  dis  heah  house? 

LUCY 
:  Twelve  yeah  ago. 

WILLIAMS 

Gal,  you  dreamin'!  'Tweren't  but  las'  year. 
'Twere  de  fus'  er  Octobah  las'  year  an'  I  say  I 
gives  you  de  refusals  fer  one  yeah.  'Membeh 
dat?  ' 

LUCY 
Yassuh. 

WILLIAMS 

So  fur  so  good.  Now  does  you  know  what 
day  de  month  dis  is? 

LUCY 
Fus'  er  Octobah. 


64  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

WILLIAMS 
Dat's  true  as  preachin'.    Well'm,  time's  up. 

LUCY 
What  you  mean? 

WILLIAMS 

I'm  er  man  er  my  wuhd.  Pay  me  de  money 
an7  tek  de  house. 

LUCY 
Termorrer—- 

WILLIAMS 
No.  Termorrer  won'  do. 

LUCY 

Why  you  push  me  so?  Oh,  please  spar'  me 
an'  wait — wait  anutheh  day. 

WILLIAMS 

No,  I'm  er  business  man.  I  kin  sell  de  house 
fer  mo'  money  termorrer  but  I  hold's  to  my 
wuhd  ter  sell  it  to  you.  I  holds  to  it  an'  loses 
money,  but  it  falls  due  dis  day  an'  night  an' 
I  won'  stretch  it  one  jump  er  my  hea't. 

LUCY 
You  know — de  bank — ain't  open — 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  65 

WILLIAMS 

Sign  de  check  fer  hit.  You  kin  do  dat,  cain't 
you? 

LUCY 
I — s'pose — I — kin. 

WILLIAMS 

Den  up  an'  do  hit.  Heah's  er  check,  all  wrote 
out  but  de  signin'.  [She  takes  the  check  he  pro 
duces.]  An7  heah's  one  er  dese  fountum  pins. 
[She  takes  the  pen.]  Octobeh  fus' — pay  to 
Zek'l  Williams — eight  hunderd  dollahs.  Des 
write  "Lucy  Sparrow."  [She  mechanically 
turns  to  do  so.]  Looks  easy,  sho'.  But  de  law 
allows  hit;  dis  writin'  out  money.  [He  pauses, 
then  adds  impressively.]  Dat  is,  ef  you  got  de 
money  in  de  bank.  Co'se  ef  de  money  am'  dah 
an'  you  writes  de  check  fer  hit  de  law  puts  you 
in  State  prism.  [She  stops  and  stares  at  him.] 
[The  pen  falls  from  her  hand  and  the  check  flutters 
to  the  floor.]  What  de  matteh?  You  wants  de 
house,  don'  you?  [Lucy's  head  sinks.]  An'  you 
got  de  money,  ain'  you? 

MADISON 

Dat's  de  question.  [He  comes  forward  out  of 
the  shadow.] 


66  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

WILLIAMS 

[Seemingly  observing  MADISON  for  the  first 
time  during  the  evening.}  Why,  heighyo,  Mad 
ison.  I  bin  lookin'  fer  you  dis  very  evenhV. 
Whah  you  bin? 

MADISON 
Bin  home. 

WILLIAMS 

Sho'ly  not,  Madison,  sho'ly  not  all  evenin'? 
Has  you? 

MADISON 
Yes. 

WILLIAMS 

Well,  ain'  dat  de  whu'lygig?  I  wuz  lookin' 
fer  you  at  Pratt's  sto'  at  eight  o'clock  an'  dey 
say  you  jes'  lef  dah.  You  wuz  dah,  weren't  you? 

MADISON 
No,  suh. 

WILLIAMS 

Well,  dere  I  am  fool  agin.  An'  who  you  think 
done  fool  me? 

MADISON 
Dunno. 

WILLIAMS 

Well,  suh,  'tweren't  no  one  but — [He  pauses 
a  moment.]  Wilson  Byrd. 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  67 

LUCY 
Byrd!    [Springing  to  her  feet  with  the  shock.] 

WILLIAMS 

[After  watching  the  two  a  moment.]  So  you 
am'  got  de  money  no  mo',  is  you?  [They  are 
speechless  before  him.]  I  knows  you  ain'  'ca'se 
I  knows  who  has  got  hit. 

MADISON 

[Involuntarily.]    Who? 

WILLIAMS 

I  has.  [He  observes  them  and  then  chuckles 
softly.]  I  has  de  money  an'  de  bargum's  closed, 
fer  de  goods  is  bin  delivered  an'  dey're  right  in 
dis  room  in  dat  corner.  One  guitar  at  eight 
hunderd  dollahs.  Insterments  comes  higher'n 
what  dey  did  once  but  you  would  have  it  an'  now 
you  got  it  an'  everybody's  fixed. 

MADISON 

[Groaning  and  bending  over  the  table.]    Oh! 

WILLIAMS 

Yassuh,  de  man  what  buys  guitars  at  dat 
price  su'tinly  plays  on  de  golden  strings.  Eight 
hunderd  fer  one  guitar  makes  'm  mighty  near 
twenty  thousand  dollehs  er  dozen.  De  cos' 


68  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

er  livin'  is  shore  gone  up  but  ef  you  mus'  you 
mus'. 

MADISON 
Oh! 

WILLIAMS 

Well,  I  cain'  stay  heah,  I  got  er  be  amblin' 
on.  I  much  erblige  ter  you  to  mek  youah  plans 
to  move  out  er  heah  fo'  I  got  ter  sell  de  house 
befo'  sundown.  Well,  so  long,  an'  I  hopes  you 
gits  all  de  good  er  youah  high  price  music.  [He 
turns  again  with  his  feeble  old  man's  step  toward 
the  doorway,  putting  on  his  hat.]  I  wish  y'all  good 


evenin', 


MADISON 

[Moving  toward  him  with  the  threatening  deter 
mination  of  despair.]  Say,  I've  got  to  have  dat 
money.  I  sees  red.  I'm  gone  bad  an'  I'll  kill 
befo'  I'll  lose  hit. 

[  WILLIAMS  suddenly  turns  with  a  swiftness  and 
agility  astounding  in  so  old  a  man.  Starting 
forward  he  confronts  MADISON  with  such 
dominance  and  fire  that  he  seems  suddenly  to 
tower.] 

WILLIAMS 

You  kill  me!  You  tek  money  away  from  me! 
Why,  you  po'  grain  er  chaff,  you  don'  know  me. 
I'm  a  king  in  my  own  right.  I  got  ways  an' 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  69 

means  er  pertecktin'  myse'f  dat  you  don'  even 
dream  on  an'  I  don'  need  to  lay  a  fingeh  on  you 
to  do  hit.  Furdermo'  I  could  brain  you  wif 
dis  stick  but  ef  you  cross  me  I  won'  be  dat  easy 
on  you.  Ef  you  don'  wan'  wuss'n  dat  don'  cross 
me  no  furder  er  youah  troubles'll  begin  fer  fa'r. 

LUCY 
Oh,  please  don'  lay  nothin'  on  him. 

WILLIAMS 

You  po'  sufferin'  gal,  I  won'  lay  nothin'  onto 
'im  but  I'm  agoin'  to  tek  sumpin'  off'n  you.  I'm 
goin'  tek  de  burding  er  dish  yere  pack  er  laziness 
off'n  you.  An'  fus'  I  wants  ter  show  you  dish 
yere  piece  er  papeh.  [He  produces  a  folded  doc 
ument  and  opens  it.}  Does  yo'  know  who  wrote 
it?  Answeh  me.  [He  shoves  the  paper  under 
MADISON'S  eye.] 

MADISON 

It  looks  like  dat  Wilson  Byrd's  writin'. 

WILLIAMS 

Yassuh,  an'  what's  mo'  it  is  dat  man's  writin'. 
It's  his  confession  dat  he  fo'ge  Lucy  Sparrow's 
name.  I  saw  dat  man  steal  my  guitar  an' 
follered  him  home.  Dah  I  grabbed  him,  dah  I 
foun'  de  purse  wif  Lucy's  name  inside  an'  dah  I 
made  dat  thief  write  out  his  confession. 


70  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

Knowed  so  much  of  his  meanness  already  dat 
he  had  to  do  hit.  An'  now  I  owns  you.  Does 
you  undehstan'  dat?  Answeh  me. 

MADISON 
Yas  suh,  no  suh. 

WILLIAMS 

Well,  I'll  take'n  cl'ar  up  de  myst'ry  fer  you. 
I  got  dis  confession  outer  Byrd  an'  I  got  other 
things  ter  prove  hit  an'  I  kin  bring  him  an'  you 
too,  bofe  befo'  de  gran'  jury. 

LUCY 

Oh,  my  sweet  Jesus,  save  him.  [The  old  man 
stands  watching  the  two  before  him  for  some  time 
in  silence.  LUCY  falls  on  her  knees  before  him.] 
Oh,  don't  sen'  Madison  to  de  lawyers. 

WILLIAMS 
No,  Lucy,  I  ain'  wishful  ter. 

LUCY 
You  won't? 

WILLIAMS 

Mebbe  not.  But  fus',  les'  put  all  dis  talk  aside 
dat  I  bin  talkin'  up  to  now.  I  bin  puttin'  on  an' 
pretendin'  in  ordeh  ter  try  you  bofe  an'  sif 
de  chaff  from  de  grain  in  you.  I  des  bin  playin' 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  71 

wif  you  ter  see  how  good  you  is  an'  how  ornry 
dish  yere  man  er  youahn  is.  Yit  I'll  take  an'  give 
him  er  chance  even  so,  an'  I'll  pluck  him  f'um 
de  bu'nin'  ef  he  f oilers  de  paf  I  p'ints  out  ter  him. 
But  we  all  got  ter  have  cl'ar  unde'stan'in'  'bout 
dat.  Fus'  an'  fo'mos'  youah  money  is  all  safe  wif 
me.  De  house  is  youah'n. 

LUCY 
You  means  you  sell  it  fer  de  money. 

WILLIAMS 

In  co'se.  You  didn't  speck  I'd  steal  too,  like 
a  w'ite  man,  did  you?  I'll  fetch  you  de  deeds 
fo'  hit  fus'  thing  in  de  mo'nin'. 

LUCY 

Oh,  fu'give  me,  I  was  all  mix  up.  But  you 
won'  sen'  Madison  to  de  gran'  jury  neitheh? 

WILLIAMS 
I  say  I  ain'  honin'  ter. 

LUCY 
Oh,  my  Makeh,  I  thank  Thee  fo'  Thy  mercy. 

WILLIAMS 

But  I  shorely  goin'  to  put  dis  man  er  youah'n 
th'oo  er  tes'  ter  see  whetheh  he's  fitten  ter  keep 
out  er  jail.  Madison,  will  you  tek  er  tes'? 


72  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

MADISON 
[Humbly.]  Yassuh.     What  is  it? 

WILLIAMS 
A  guitar. 

MADISON 
A  guitar! 

WILLIAMS 

Yassuh,  dat's  hit,  no  mo'  ner  no  less.  I'm 
goin'  give  you  dat  guitar — but — dere's  suh- 
tinly  goin'  to  be  a  string  tied  to  it.  You  kin 
take  dat  guitar  but  you  got  to  make  somethin' 
outer  yourself  wif  her  or  back  she'll  come  to 
me.  You  kin  give  lessons  an'  learn  folks  music 
or  you  kin  write  down  de  music  you  make,  but 
you  got  to  do  somethin'  wif  it  fer  Lucy.  You 
got  to  wake  up  or  I'll  take  de  guitar.  Which'll 
it  be?  Make  youah  choice. 

MADISON 
[Crushed.]    I'll — keep  de  guitar. 

WILLIAMS 

An'  dat  ain'  all.  You  got  ter  quit  runnin' 
wif  Byrd  an'  Byrd  wif  you,  you  got  ter  be  a 
better  husban'  an'  you  got  to  min'  everything 
Lucy  tells  you.  Will  you  do  hit? 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  73 

MADISON 
Yassuh. 

WILLIAMS 

An'  yo'  ain'  much  of  er  temp'unce  man 
neitheh,  is  you,  Madison? 

MADISON 
I's  a  temp'unce  man  but  I  ain'  no  frantic. 

WILLIAMS 

Well,  suh,  you  got  ter  jine  de  frantics  now. 
No  dram  drinking  at  all.  Will  you  quit  hit  er 
go  ter  jail? 

MADISON 

I'll  quit. 

WILLIAMS 

WTell,  dat's  on'y  a  promise  but  I'll  shore  hoi' 
you  to  hit  er  put  you  behin'  de  bahs.  Why,  look 
heah,  man,  does  you  know  how  you  stan'  'pon 
top  er  dis  yu'th?  Does  you  know  how  you 
liken  to  er  tree?  'Sposin'  sumpin'  wif  er  cool 
eye  like  er  tree  could  see  you  an'  talk.  I  cain' 
jedge  you  ca'm  but  er  tree  could.  Tree  would 
look  at  you  an'  say,  "Does  dat  'ere  man  wu'k?" 
Win'  'ud  whispeh,  "No."  "Do  he  eat?" 
" Yas  'n  git  fat,"  respon'  de  win'.  "Who  shines 
on  him?"  "His  wife,"  win'  say.  "Do  he  put 
fo'th  flower  an'  bless  de  wife?"  say  de  tree. 


74  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

"No."  "Do  he  give  shade  an'  shelteh  ter  de 
wife?"  say  de  tree.  "No."  "Well,  .chop'm 
down  an'  bu'n  him  befo'  he  rots,"  say  de  tree. 
"Dat's  all."  But  mebbe  I  kin  mek  mo'  of  him 
dan  dat  an'  so  I'll  try  primin'  him  an'  graftin' 
some  good  labeh  onto  him.  An'  I  kin'  er  think 
hit'll  save  him  yit.  Well'm,  I  must  be  er  goin' 
now.  Hit's  late  an'  I  mus'  git  my  res'  fer  I 
got  to  do  a  lot  er  bossin'  termorrer  an  dat's  allers 
ha'd  fer  me.  Lucy,  I'll  fetch  you  de  deeds  ter 
de  house  befo'  nine  termorrer  an',  Madison,  you 
kin  repo't  to  me  at  eight  o'clock  sha'p  an'  give 
my  little  boy  a  lesson  on  de  guitar.  You'll  be 
dah,  won't  you? 

MADISON 
[Meekly.]    Yassuh. 

WILLIAMS 
Ready  to  whu'l  in  an'  scratch. 

MADISON 
Yassuh. 

WILLIAMS 

Well  den,  les'  all  shek  han's  on  de  noo  nes'  an' 
de  noo  aig.  [They  shake  hands.  He  puts  on  his 
hat  and  turns  to  the  door.]  An'  dat  remin's  me, 
Lucy,  you  better  tell  Madison  to  play  on  dat 
guitar  a  plenty  tonight  because  he'll  need  music 


THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS  75 

fer  to  stan'  up  undeh  all  de  lessons  I'm  goin' 
to  lay  onto  him.  Well,  I  wish  you  good  night. 
I'm  er  gittin'  kin'er  ole  an'  I  cain'  stay  up  late 
no  mo'  without  bein'  crosser  in  de  mornin'. 
Good  night  den  an'  far'  you  well  bofe.  Eight 
o'clock,  Madison.  Good  night. 

[He  goes,  closing  the  door  after  him.  The  pair 
stand  silent  for  a  moment,  MADISON  with 
hanging  head  and  in  deep  dejection.] 

LUCY 

[Throwing  her  arms  around  him.]  Oh,  my 
husban',  I'll  pray  fer  you.  Don'  sorrer  now. 
Git  youah  res'  tonight.  We  kin  be  hones'  now. 
We've  got  de  house  at  las'  an  heah's  de  guitar. 


MADISON 

Yassuh,  heah's  de  guitar.     [He  plays  it  and 
fondles  it.     Then  his  face  assumes  again  its  mel- 

n  (Y\  /•»  7i  r\i /»  i      1  r\  r\1^     1 


MADISON 
eah's 

Fhen  h 
ancholy  look. 

LUCY 
What's  de  trouble? 

MADISON 

I  don'  undehstan'  dis  worl'.  If  I  wants  to 
make  music  why  cain't  folks  lemme  alone  to 
make  music?  If  I  dream  a  fine  dream  why  is  it 
I  always  wake  up?  Looks  to  me  like  somebody's 


76  THE  RIDER  OF  DREAMS 

always  tryin'  to  crowd  me  out  an7  git  me  in  a 
tight  place. 

LUCY 

You  wuz  doin'  all  right  till  you  got  mix  up 
wif  dat  white  man  an7  his  tricks.  De  trouble 
wuz  dat  dis  dream  of  youahs  wuzn't  a  good 
dream. 

MADISON 

Yes,  but  not  all  of  my  dreams  is  bad  ones. 
All,  I  wants  is  room  to  dream  my  good  dreams 
an'  make  my  own  music. 

CURTAIN 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 


NOTE. — Although  Gyrene  was  in  northern  Africa,  the 
wall-paintings  in  the  vast  Cyrenian  tombs  depict  black 
people  instead  of  brown. 

That  Jesus'  cross-bearer  was  a  black  man,  as  the  early 
painters  represented  him,  is  a  fact  that  holds  a  certain 
suggestion  bearing  upon  a  phase  of  modern  society. 

It  has  been  the  author's  design  that  all  the  characters 
in  this  play  should  be  represented  by  persons  entirely  or 
partly  of  Negro  blood;  and  this  intention  has  been  carried 
out  in  the  original  stage  production.  Simon  is  a  full- 
blooded  Negro,  Battus  is  a  little  less  dark,  Acte  is  a  mulatto 
as  were  most  Egyptians  of  the  later  dynasties.  Her  at 
tendants  comprise  both  mulattoes  and  Negroes.  The 
Roman  characters  are  played  by  persons  of  slighter 
negroid  strain. 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

And  as  they  led  him  away  they  laid  hold  upon 
one  Simon,  a  Cyrenian,  .  .  .  and  on  him  they 
laid  the  cross  that  he  might  bear  it  after  Jesus. 

Luke  23,  26. 

PERSONS  OF  THE  PLAY 

PROCULA,  the  wife  of  Pilate 

DRUSUS,  a  young  Roman 

ACTE,  Princess  of  Egypt 

BATTUS,  a  Libyan  prince,  a  boy 

SIMON 

PILATE,  governor  of  Judea 

BARABBAS,  an  insurrectionist 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCOURGE 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCARLET  ROBE 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS 

A  CENTURION 

LONGINUS,  a  soldier 

PROCULA 's  ATTENDANTS 

ACTE'S  ATTENDANTS 

SOLDIERS 

TIME — The  day  of  the  Crucifixion  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth 

[79] 


80  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

SCENE:  A  garden  of  Pilate's  house  at  Jerusalem. 
The  whole  scene  is  strictly  Roman,  softened 
by  its  eastern  location  and  by  the  beginnings 
of  Rome's  decadence,  but  there  is  no  trace  of 
Judean  influence.     At  the  back  there  is  a 
gallery  or  raised  portico  reaching  entirely 
across  the  garden.    It  is  roofed  but  open  and 
beyond  it  the  morning  sky  is  seen.     This 
passageway,  which  will  be  called  the  portico, 
leads  from  the  Praetorium  on  the  left  to  other 
buildings  on  the  right.     The  garden  has  en 
trances  toward  the  back  at  both  left  and  right. 
At  the  left,  near  the  front,  a  narrow  portion 
of  the  facade  of  Pilate's  house  is  seen,  with 
a  doorway  reached  by  three  steps.     At  the 
right  of  the  garden,  near  the  front,  there  is 
a  wall  fountain.     There  is  a  marble  seat  at 
back  centre.    All  the  architecture  is  of  mellow 
marble  as  dark  as  alabaster. 

[As  the  curtain  rises  PROCULA  is  discovered 
upon  the  steps  of  her  house.  She  is  in  an 
extreme  state  of  agitation.  Her  attendants 
are  in  the  garden.  The  sound  of  a  mob, 
with  cries  of  "Crucify  him,"  "  To  the  Place  of 
the  Skull,"  "On  to  Golgotha,"  etc.  is  heard  at 
the  rise  of  the  curtain  and  at  intervals  through 
out  the  play.] 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  81 

PROCULA 

Go!    Go,  send  more  messengers.    Ah,  Hera, 
help  me. 

[A  MESSENGER  runs  into  the  garden  from  the 
right  and  kneels  before  her,  breathless.] 

PROCULA 
Has  Simon  the  Cyrenian  been  found? 

MESSENGER 

The  swiftest  horseman  reached  him.    He  is 
nearing  the  city. 

PROCULA 

Hasten  him.  Bring  him.  Your  freedom  for 
it.  [The  MESSENGER  hurries  out.] 

PROCULA 
[To  ATTENDANTS.]    Is  there  no  news  yet? 

ATTENDANT 

One  messenger  has  not  returned.  He  who  was 
sent  to  the  royal  woman  of  Egypt. 

PROCULA 

Send  others  after  him,  take  wings.  [DRUSUS 
enters  the  garden  from  the  left.]  Drusus!  Help 
me  draw  him  swiftly. 


82  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

DRUSUS 

The  wife  of  Pilate  speaks.    Whom  shall  I  send 
to  her? 

PROCULA 

Too  late,  too  late.    I  speak  foolishly.    I  have 
already  sent. 

DRUSUS 
You  are  tormented. 

PROCULA 

Are  mine  the  only  eyes  that  see  the  doom 
unrolling? 

DRUSUS 
You  speak  strangely. 

PROCULA 
/  The  Furies  whip  me. 

DRUSUS 
Tell  me  your  secret. 

PROCULA 
This  Jesus  the  Nazarene— 

DRUSUS 

You  need  not  fear  him.     He  is  in  Pilate's 
hands. 

PROCULA 
Out  of  that  is  my  agony.    Ah,  my  dream. 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  83 

DRUSUS 
Dreams?— 

PROCULA 
Did  you  feel  the  earth  heave  last  night? 

DRUSUS 
I  was  drinking  at  Herod's  palace. 

PROCULA 

Trees  groaned,  the  statues  shuddered,  the 
fountains  dried,  the  walls  sweated,  a  red  dew 
fell  in  the  gardens. 

DRUSUS 
I  felt  nothing.    I  saw  nothing. 

PROCULA 

I  saw — I  cannot  tell  it.  Horror  was  heaped 
on  horror. 

DRUSUS 
You  dreamed  of  this  Nazarene? 

PROCULA 

Of  him.  He  must  not  die.  I  begged  his  life 
of  Pilate  but  he  fears  the  Jews.  Help  me. 

DRUSUS 
Help  you?    How? 

PROCULA 
Bring  Simon  the  Cyrenian. 


84  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

DRUSUS 
That  tiger? 

PROCULA 

I  heard  many  voices  in  my  dream  and  one 
voice  cried,  "  Simon  the  African  shall  bear  the 
burden." 

DRUSUS 
You  have  not  felt  his  claws. 

PROCULA 
Then  you  too  believe  him  dangerous? 

DRUSUS 
The  most  dangerous  man  in  the  empire. 

PROCULA 
Dangerous  to  Romans,  it  may  be,  but— 

DRUSUS 

[Scornfully.]  The  friend  of  slaves !  Wherever 
he  goes  insurrection  follows  him.  He  was  the 
secret  leader  of  last  year's  armed  uprising  in 
Rome  when  thirty  thousand  perished.  He 
hollows  out  the  empire  with  sedition. 

PROCULA 
A  stronger  man  than  Rome. 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  85 

DRUSUS 

His  influence  spreads  through  the  provinces. 
He  plans  world  empire,  undermining  Rome. 
Caesar  has  been  warned  of  him,  but  is  afraid 
or  listless. 

PROCULA 

[Half  to  herself.]  Surely  such  power  should 
avail  to  save  one  life. 

DRUSUS 

There  is  a  rumour  that  he  was  here  two  nights 
ago  to  renew  the  insurrection  of  Barabbas.  We 
had  spies  set  upon  him. 

PROCULA 

Does  he  fear  spies?  I  have  sent  for  this  man. 
If  the  Nazarene  is  condemned  Simon  must 
kindle  riot  and  take  him  from  the  soldiers. 

DRUSUS 

Will  the  wife  of  Pilate  breed  rebellion  to 
Rome? 

PROCULA 

It  is  for  Rome's  sake  and  in  my  extremity. 

What  singing  is  that?    I  heard  it  in  my  dream. 

[During  the  last  few  speeches  a  marching  song 

by  men's  and  women's  voices  is  heard  off  left, 

at  first  faintly  then,  growing  louder;  the  words 

are  indistinguishable.] 


86  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

DRUSUS 
The  air  is  African. 

PROCULA 
May  it  be  Simon. 

DRUSUS 

[Looking  off  left.]  A  litter  with  Ethiopian 
bearers. 

PROCULA 

Ethiopians!  It  is  the  Egyptian.  [DRUSUS 
starts  to  go  off  right.] 

PROCULA 

Though  I  sent  for  her  I  fear  her.  Stay  with 
me. 

DRUSUS 

I  cannot.  I  bear  word  from  Pilate  to  Herod. 
[He  goes  off  right.  A  HERALD  in  Egyptian  dress 
enters  from  left.} 

THE  HERALD 

Acte  of  Egypt  to  the  wife  of  Pilate. 
[The  voices  off  left  are  heard  approaching  and 
singing  the  tune  that  today  is  known  as  the 
Negro  spiritual  "Walk  Together,  Children." 
ACTE  enters  from  left  walking  with  her  litter- 
bearers  and  women.  With  her  is  BATTUS,  a 
boy  of  ten.] 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  87 

ACTE 
The  wife  of  Pilate  sent  to  me? 

PROCULA 

For  Simon  the  Cyrenian.  Men  say  you  are 
his  friend. 

ACTE 
I  have  come  here  to  find  him. 

PROCULA 
He  is  not  here. 

ACTE 

If  his  mood  holds  he  will  not  fail  to  come  since 
you  have  sent  for  him.  Your  men  have  told  me 
that  he  nears  the  city. 

PROCULA 
Oh,  help  me  rouse  him  when  he  comes. 

ACTE 
What  is  your  need? 

PROCULA 
A  hidden  service. 

ACTE 
You  ask  my  aid?    Then  trust  me. 

PROCULA 

[Coming  down  close  to  ACTE  and  speaking  in  a 
low  voice.]  Jesus  the  Nazarene  must  not  die. 


88  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

ACTE 

Has  he  been  doomed? 

PROCULA 
Not  yet.    But  if— 

ACTE 
Are  you  not  Pilate's  wife? 

PROCULA 
He  fears  the  Jews. 

ACTE 
And  Simon? 

PROCULA 
If  Jesus  is  condemned  Simon  must  seize  him. 

ACTE 
Never. 

PROCULA 
It  must  be  done.    I  beg  you  help  me. 

ACTE 
This  Nazarene  has  no  friend  in  me. 

PROCULA 
And  you  have  never  seen  him. 

ACTE 
No,  but  I  suffer  much  because  of  him.  • 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  89 

PROCULA 

And  I.  Jesus  must  live.  Oh,  move  Simon  to 
strike. 

ACTE 

More  lives  than  this  magician's  wait  on 
Simon.  [An  ATTENDANT  of  PROCULA  enters  from 
left.] 

ATTENDANT 

[Calling.]  Pilate  has  gone  up  toward  the 
Judgment  Hall. 

PROCULA 

Beg  him  to  stay  for  me,  for  one  word  more. 

I'll  follow.   [ATTENDANT  goes  out  left.    To  ACTE.] 

Command  my  household,  wait  here  for  Simon. 

[Seizing  ACTE  and  pointing  toward  the  Judgment 

Hall.]    In  there  and  at  this  hour  the  fate  of  earth 

and  heaven  dangles  in  the  hands  of  blind  men. 

Tell  Simon  this,  see  that  his  eyes  are  open. 

[PROCULA    hastens   into   her   house.     During 

Procula's  words  one  of  Acte's  ATTENDANTS, 

who  has  strayed  off  right  has  reentered,  looking 

off.} 

ATTENDANT 
Lord  Simon  rushes  toward  this  place. 

ACTE 

Make  ready  all. 
[Her  tire-women  attend  her  and  her  men  stand 


90  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

looking  expectantly  off  right.  SIMON  enters 
/from  right.  He  is  a  Negro  of  majestic 
I  bearing,  with  a  sad,  severe  countenance.  He 

is  dressed  as  a  soldier.] 

SIMON 
Egypt! 

BATTUS 

[Rushing  joyfully  toward  SIMON.]  Simon, 
Simon. 

SIMON 
Battus,  Royal  Battus.    [He  embraces  the  boy.] 

BATTUS 
You  have  been  long  away. 

SIMON 
Not  so  long  as  to  have  forgotten  Battus. 

BATTUS 

And  have  you  forgotten  Gyrene  and  Egypt 
and  our  kingdom  of  the  free?  [AcTE  hushes  the 
boy,  looking  apprehensively  about.] 

SIMON 
No;  Battus. 

ACTE 

[To  her  ATTENDANTS.]  Take  the  boy  deeper  in 
the  garden.  Wait  there  till  I  call  him.  [The 
ATTENDANTS  lead  BATTUS  off  left.] 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  91 

ACTE 

[Moving  swiftly  to  SIMON.]    You  are  in  danger 
here.     What  sorcery  called  you  back? 

SIMON 
Where  is  the  wife  of  Pilate? 

ACTE 
She  is  asleep— or  she  listens  to  the  harp. 

SIMON 
Why  are  you  here? 

ACTE 
I  came  to  meet  you.    Why  did  you  return? 

SIMON 

Messengers  from  the  wife  of  Pilate  reached 
me. 

ACTE 

What  spell  is  on  you,  you  who  were  never 
trapped?  This  is  the  wolf's  own  mouth.  You 
tempt  it  to  close  upon  you. 

SIMON 
The  tiger's  blood  is  never  lapped  by  wolves. 

ACTE 
Many  can  pull  down  one.    Go  back. 


92  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

SIMON 
When  is  the  Nazarene  to  be  tried  by  Pilate? 

ACTE 

So,  I  have  found  the  hunter  that  has  snared 
you. 

SIMON 
When  is  he  to  be  tried? 

ACTE 
Who  knows?  Tomorrow.  Perhaps  never. 

SIMON 
Today,  the  message  said. 

ACTE 

Perhaps  this  afternoon.  Oh,  Simon,  wake. 
Shake  off  this  net  of  dreams.  How  were  you 
taken  in  it? 

SIMON 
I  am  not  taken. 

ACTE 
You  have  seen  this  Nazarene? 

SIMON 
I  saw  him. 

ACTE 
When? 

SIMON 
Two  nights  ago. 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  93 

ACTE 
After  you  left  me. 

SIMON 

Afterward.    I  had  summoned  to  a  garden 
The  bravest  of  the  slaves  to  help  them  plan 
A  new  sedition  that  would  free  Barabbas. 
There  as  I  roused  the  jungles  against  Rome 
I  saw  lights  in  another  part  of  the  garden, 
I  saw  men  come  with  torches  and  seize  a  man. 
I  hurried  near  and  through  the  olive  leaves 

,  His  eyes  looked  into  mine, 
His  eyes  burned  into  mine.    I  have  seen  them 

since, 

Waking  or  sleeping. 

ACTE 
You  followed  him? 

SIMON 

No,  and  none  saw  me.    I  turned  back  through 
the  shadows  and  joined  my  men. 

ACTE 
And  did  you  plot  again  that  night? 

SIMON 

My  thoughts  went  wide.     My  words  were 
broken. 

I  told  the  slaves  to  wait  till  my  next  coming. 
Then,  before  dawn,  I  set  out  for  the  sea. 


94  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

ACTE 

Oh,  my  Cyrenian,  where  is  that  fierce  blood 
That  poured  out  from  your  heart  fires  to  burn 
Rome? 

SIMON 

My  spirit  is  fiercer  than  it  was  before, 
The  groans  of  the  oppressed  louder  than  ever. 

ACTE 
Then  why  have  you  turned  back? 

SIMON 

I  have  seen  the  whole  world's  sorrow  in  one 
man's  eyes. 

ACTE 
What  does  it  mean?    You  are  changed. 

SIMON 

There  as  I  looked  upon  him  in  the  garden 
A  wound  came  in  my  side  like  a  spear's  thrust, 
Bleeding  for  him. 

ACTE 
Is  this  all  you  know  of  him? 

SIMON 

As  I  went  seaward 
I  met  men  coming  to  the  yearly  feast. 
These  told  me  of  his  works,  they  spoke  of 
marvels, 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  95 

I  Of  healings  and  of  resurrections. 
He  suffers  the  old  wrong  of  the  downtrodden. 

ACTE 
Are  there  no  wrongs  then  in  our  Africa? 

SIMON 

The  whole  earth  groans  beneath  the  per 
secuted; 

The  outcast,  the  despised  cry  out  to  me. 

ACTE 

And  you  whom  they  trust  to  save  them  turn 
aside 

To  this  one  man. 

SIMON 
I  have  not  turned  aside,  yet  I  may  help  him. 

ACTE 

Go  back.     Your  peril  grows.     You  will  be 
trapped. 

SIMON 
Rome  cannot  take  me. 

ACTE 
It  is  not  Rome  I  fear  but  this  Judean. 


96  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

SIMON 

[Moving  toward  the  doorway  of  Pilate's  house.] 
Why  does  the  wife  of  Pilate  stay, 
Having  summoned  me  with  horsemen? 

ACTE 

[Going  with  him.]    Doubtless  she  forgets. 
Her  whims  are  many. 

SIMON 

I  must  hear  from  her 
What  they  have  done  with  him. 

ACTE 

[Placing  herself  before  him.]    Simon! 

Mists  are  before  your  eyes, 

Mists  of  forgetting. 

You  have  forgotten  Battus  and  all  your  holy 
vows  before  the  priests  of  Libya  and  Egypt  to 
bring  him  back  to  Africa  Rome's  conqueror. 

[She  calls  off  left  to  BATTUS.  The  ATTENDANTS 
enter  with  him.] 

Come,  lad,  sit  here.  [She  leads  him  to  a  seat 
at  centre.]  Let's  play  at  worlds  for  Simon.  Who 
are  you? 

BATTUS 
I  am  Battus. 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  97 

ACTE 
And  who  is  Battus? 

BATTUS 

Son  of  Cyrenian  kings  and  kings  of  Egypt, 
Son  of  all  Africa. 

ACTE 
Who  shall  be  your  army? 

BATTUS 
The  slaves  of  Rome. 

ACTE 
Who  shall  lead  them  up  to  victory? 

BATTUS 
Simon  and  I. 

ACTE 
And  then? 

BATTUS 

They  shall   be   free.     All   wrongs   shall   be 
righted. 

$  The  great  shall  be  brought  low,  the  lowly 
raised. 

ACTE 
How  shall  we  reach  our  own? 

BATTUS 
Through  blood  and  fire. 


98  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

ACTE 
Who  shall  be  our  own? 

BATTUS 

All  those  who  suffer  wrongs,  the  poor,  the 
captives. 

ACTE 

[To  SIMON.]    What  do  you  say,  now  you  have 
heard  the  faith  he  lives  by? 

SIMON 

Oh,  I  have  not  forgotten.    We  shall  go  for 
ward. 

ACTE 
To  triumph. 

SIMON 
Yes,  to  triumph. 

ACTE 
Through  fire  and  blood. 

SIMON 
Through  fire  and  blood. 

ACTE 

Ah,  I  have  never  doubted  the  fierce  heart  in 
you.     Never  be  tamed. 

[PROCULA  appears  in  her  doorway.  ACTE  sees 
her  and  moves  apprehensively  aside.  PRO 
CULA  sees  SIMON.  1 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  99 

PROCULA 
You  are  the  Libyan  captain? 

[ACTE  waves  BATTUS  and  her  attendants  off  left.] 

SIMON 
The  wife  of  Pilate  sees  him. 

PROCULA 

[Going  swiftly  to  him.]    You  have  seen  Jesus 
the  Nazarene? 

SIMON 
I  have  seen  him. 

PROCULA 
Save  him. 

SIMON 
When  is  he  to  be  tried? 

PROCULA 
He  has  been  tried. 

SIMON 

[To  ACTE.]    Who  has  deceived  me?    [To  PRO 
CULA.]    Has  he  been  condemned? 

PROCULA 
Not  yet,  not  yet. 

SIMON 
Your  husband  holds  him. 


100  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

PROCULA 
I  have  no  power  in  this. 

SIMON 
You  sent  for  me. 

PROCULA 
Save  this  one  man.    I  know  your  power. 

ACTE 

Remember  Gyrene,  Egypt  and  our  world, 
Battus  and  Africa. 

SIMON 
Their  roots  are  in  my  heart. 

ACTE 
Then  come  away  with  me. 

SIMON 

My  breast  can  nourish  both  this  Judean  and 
our  kingdom. 

ACTE 

No,  for  this  man's  spirit  threatens  to  over 
come  you;  they  have  called  him  king;  there  can 
not  be  two  kings,  and  you  the  lesser,  in  the 
world  we  plan. 

SIMON 

Not  that  he  is  a  king  but  that  he  is  a  captive 
my  heart  flows  most  to  him. 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  101 

ACTE 

Legions  of  captives  in  the  empire  wait  for  you 
to  set  them  free.  Shall  you  yourself  be  captive? 

PROCULA 
He  was  betrayed. 

ACTE 

[To  SIMON.]  Look  to  it  that  you  are  not  your 
self  betrayed  by  him. 

PROCULA 
Herod  mocked  him. 

ACTE 

[To  SIMON.]  If  you  are  now  led  astray  you 
mock  our  Africa  and  the  new  world  we  plan 
there. 

SIMON 

Plan  no  more  worlds  if  this  man  is  destroyed. 
But  he  shall  conquer  Pilate. 

PROCULA 

Save  him.  Waken  the  mob.  Breed  riot. 
Take  him  from  the  soldiers. 

[She  suddenly  looks  upward  off  left  back  and 

gives  a  cry.] 

Pilate  ascends  to  the  outer  judgment  seat. 
[She  rushes  to  SIMON.] 


102  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

Burn  the  city  if  he  is  condemned. 

[SiMON  stands  brooding  motionless.    PROCULA 
runs  toward  her  doorway.] 

Til  send  to  Pilate  even  on  the  judgment  seat. 
[She  rushes  into  her  house.    SIMON  moves  after 
her  as  though  he  would  follow.] 

ACTE 

[Recalling  him  by  a  touch  so  that  he  turns.]  The 
time  is  not  yet  ripe.  A  new  sedition  now  sud 
denly  bursting  would  dash  down  all  our  dreams. 

SIMON 

Pilate  at  last  will  listen.  With  such  a  pleader 
the  Sufferer  is  safe. 

ACTE 
You  are  taken  in  this  soothsayer's  mesh. 

SIMON 
He  has  not  spoken  to  me. 

ACTE 
Has  he  not  led  you? 

SIMON 
He  leads  me  most  who  suffers  most  injustice. 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  103 

ACTE 

And  on  that  night  when  you  were  first  led 
captive 

The  lonely  lions  and  the  Libyan  moon 
Watched  over  Africa,  faithful  to  her, 
When  you  grew  faithless. 

SIMON 

Africa  shall  triumph.     This  man,  not  I,  not 
Battus,  shall  restore  her. 

ACTE 
If  Pilate  pleases. 

SIMON 
He  shall  conquer  Pilate. 

ACTE 
Shall  he  indeed? 

SIMON 
What's  there? 

[A  loud  murmur  of  many  voices  has  been  heard 
at  intervals  in  the  Praetorium  at  left  back 
during  the  past  scene.  This  murmur  has 
now  increased  into  a  roar  out  of  which  the 
cry  "Crucify  him!  Crucify  him!"  rises.  The 
cries  and  the  roar  suddenly  become  trium 
phant  as  SIMON  listens.  Then  from  the 


104  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

entrance  at  right  there  appears  a  fantastic 

impish  figure  bearing  a  great  scourge.    He  is 

I  followed  by  another  bearing  a  gorgeous  scarlet 

[     robe  and  by  a  third  bearing  upon  a  cushion  a 

crown  of  thorns.] 

SIMON 
What  are  these? 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCOURGE 
A  scourge  for  a  prophet. 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS 
A  crown  of  thorns  for  a  king. 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCARLET  ROBE 

A  scarlet  robe  for  a  saviour. 

[The  mockers  cross  the  garden  and  disappear  at 
left  back.  SIMON  watches  them  motionless 
and  transfixed  by  their  sinister  meaning  as 
it  begins  to  dawn  upon  him.  PILATE  appears 
in  the  upper  portico  at  back  left.  He  enters 
walking  slowly  backward  and  looking  off 
left  with  evident  horror.  A  wailing  is  heard 
off  left,  it  grows  and  PROCULA  enters  from 
her  doorway.] 

PROCULA 

Woe,  woe,  the  air  is  bleeding,  the  doom  has 
fallen. 


SIMON  THE  CY  REN  I  AN  105 

0  Pilate,  you  have  judged  a  world  and 
doomed  it. 

Your  hands  are  bloody;  wash  them  again, 
wash  them. 

[PILATE  glances  at  her  and  then  motions,  looking 
off  to  the  left.  A  slave  appears  with  him  on 
the  portico  bearing  a  basin  of  water.  PILATE 
washes  his  hands  and  then  goes  off  left.] 

PROCULA 

[Going  to  SIMON  who  stands  motionless.]    What 
will  you  do  now,  now  that  he  is  condemned? 
[A  man  enters  slowly  from  the  right.    He  halts 
just  within  the  garden  seeing  SIMON.     The 
newcomer  is  gaunt  and  haggard.] 

SIMON 

[Suddenly  seeing  him.]  Barabbas!  [Running 
to  ACTE.]  Look  to  the  lad,  lead  him  to  safety. 
We'll  fire  the  city.  Hide  with  him  till  I  join 
you.  The  temple  shall  be  in  flames  before 
they  lead  the  Nazarene  past  it.  [ACTE  leading 
BATTUS  and  her  people  hurries  out  left.  SIMON 
rushes  to  BARABBAS,  speaking  swiftly.]  Go 
where  the  arms  are  stored.  Give  the  slaves  I 
weapons  and  torches.  Rouse  all,  arm  all,  stand  / 
by  me  to  free  the  Nazarene.  I'll  lead  his  friends. 
Bring  the  slaves  quickly.  Strike,  give  all  the 
signal.  [BARABBAS  stands  motionless.]  Go. 


106  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

BARABBAS 

[In  a  dull  monotonous  voice.]  All's  done,  all's 
one,  whether  men  live  or  die. 

Who  can  withstand  Rome?     They  tortured 

me. 

My  spirit  is  broken.    I  have  been  all  night 

Watching  this  one  that  would  have  saved  the 
world 

Scourged  with  me  in  the  prison. 

He  is  a  god  but  men  have  conquered  him. 

__iey  freed  me  in  his  place,  the  dead  for  the 
living. 

There  are  no  more  gods  left  now  in  the  sky 

And  on  the  earth  nothing  but  dead  men 

\ 

crawling. 

SIMON 
You  stay?    You  hang  back? 

BARABBAS 
My  spirit  is  poisoned.    I  die  soon. 

SIMON 
Then  die  for  the  living. 

BARABBAS 

There  are  none  left  alive. 

[As  he  speaks  the  tops  of  three  crosses  and  three 
Roman  standards  are  seen  against  the  sky 
at  back,  beyond  the  portico,  as  they  are  borne 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  107 

slowly  in  procession  from  left  to  right.  As 
they  pass,  the  wailing  of  women's  voices  is 
heard  interspersed  with  the  angry  murmur  of 
a  crowd  and  cries  of  u  Crucify  him!"] 

BARABBAS 

[Pointing  to  the  crosses.]    There  goes  the  cross 
now  for  the  god  to  hang  on, 

That's  the  dead  tree  to  bear  the  dead  world's 
fruit. 

SIMON 

So  we  must  stand  alone.    They  yell  for  blood. 

Now  they  shall  drown  in  a  red  sea  of  it. 

He  shall  pass  over  safely,  walking  on  dead 
men. 

[He  draws  his  sword  and  rushes  off  right. 
BARABBAS  stands  unmoved.  PROCULA  runs 
to  right  entrance  staring  off  after  SIMON.] 

PROCULA 

The  gods  fight  with  you  now,  invisible  shapes 
Rush  forward  with  you.    See  how  cloud-like 
armies 

Redden  the  air.    Lead  them  and  seize  him. 

[There  is  a  pause,  then  she  retreats  slowly  from 
the  entrance,  and  SIMON  re-enters  stepping 
slowly  backward  as  though  dazzled  by  a  vision. 
As  he  reaches  the  middle  of  the  garden  a 


108  SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN 

wonderful  voice  is  heard  proceeding  from  the 
direction  in  which  he  looks.] 

THE  VOICE 

Put  up  the  sword.  For  they  that  take  the 
sword  shall  perish  with  the  sword.  [The  sword 
falls  from  SIMON'S  hand.] 

THE  VOICE 
Do  not  resist  evil. 

[There  is  a  moment's  pause  and  then  a  CENTU 
RION  enters  from  the  right  and  goes  menac 
ingly  up  to  SIMON.] 

THE  CENTURION 

Who  are  you  that  you  rush  against  legion 
aries?  Have  you  an  army  that  you  come  against 
us?  Are  you  a  madman?  Are  you  also  one  of 
his  followers? 

SIMON 

[Slowly.]  I  am  his  follower.  [PROCULA,  wail 
ing,  rushes  into  her  house.] 

THE  CENTURION 

[Turning  and  calling  to  someone  off  right.]  Ho, 
Longinus,  come;  here  is  another.  [To  SIMON.] 
What  is  your  name  and  place? 


SIMON  THE  CY  REN  I  AN  109 

SIMON 

Simon,  a  man  of  Gyrene. 
[LONGINUS  enters  from  the  right  accompanied 
by  several  other  legionaries.] 

LONGINUS 

[To  the  CENTURION.]  The  Nazarene  has 
fallen.  The  cross  crushes  him.  He  can  go  no 
further. 

THE  CENTURION 

Here's  one  to  bear  it,  bring  it  in  the  garden. 

[LONGINUS  goes  out  right.  The  CENTURION 
and  legionaries  surround  SIMON  and  strip 
him  of  his  outer  garments.  When  they  have 
done  so  the  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCOURGE  en 
ters  from  the  right  waving  the  scourge  threaten 
ingly,  looking  off  as  he  enters.  He  turns  and 
dances  about  SIMON.] 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCOURGE 
Prophesy,   prophesy.     Who  is  it  now  that 
strikes  you?    Turn  the  other  cheek. 

[The  mocker  strikes  SIMON.     With  a  powerful 
movement  SIMON  seizes  the  mocker,  hurls  him  ) 
to  the  ground  and  snatching  his  sword  which 
the  soldiers  have  placed  upon  a  bench  he  clears1 
a  space  about  him  and  starts  again  toward 
the  right  entrance.] 


110  SIMON  THE  CY  REN  I  AN 

THE  VOICE 

Overcome  evil  with  good.  Forgive  your 
enemy. 

[SiMON  bows  his  head,  then  extends  the  hilt  of 
his  sword  to  a  soldier  who  takes  it  and  strikes 
him  with  the  flat  of  the  blade.  SIMON  sub 
mits,  dumbly,  with  bowed  head,  to  this  and 
to  the  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCOURGE  who 
rises  painfully  from  the  ground  and  again 
strikes  him  viciously.] 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  SCOURGE 
Turn  the  other  cheek. 
[He  takes  a  rope  from  his  girdle  and  making  a 

noose  in  it  puts  the  noose  over  SIMON'S  head 

and  dances  about  him  holding  the  rope's  end. 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  ROBE  enters  from 

the  right.] 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  ROBE 
Here  is  the  scarlet  robe,  it  fell  from  the  King's 
shoulders,  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  the  King  of  the 
Jews.     Of  such  are  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 
[He  places  the  robe  on  SIMON.] 
Hail  to  the  new  king,  Simon  of  Gyrene, 
King  of  the  Africans,  with  his  Master's  robe. 
[ The  wailing  of  women  outside  has  risen  in  a 
strain  of  wild  and  profound  melancholy.   It  is 
broken  by  a  woman's  scream.] 


SIMON  THE  CYRENIAN  111 

THE  VOICE 

Daughters  of  Jerusalem,  weep  not  for  me, 
but  weep  for  yourselves  and  for  your  children. 
For  if  they  do  these  things  in  a  green  tree  what 
shall  be  done  in  the  dry? 

[THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS 
enters  from  right.] 

THE  MOCKER  WITH  THE  CROWN  OF  THORNS 
Ho,  another  king,  another  saviour.    Solomon 

in  all  his  glory  was  not  arrayed  like  one  of  these. 

Let  him  be  crowned.    Blessed  are  the  meek. 

[He  snatches  off  SIMON'S  head-dress,  throwing 
it  on  the  ground.  He  pretends  to  place  the 
thorn  crown  on  SIMON'S  head,  and  then 
throws  it  contemptuously  at  his  feet.  The 
legionaries  enter  with  the  cross.] 

THE  VOICE 

If  any  man  will  come  after  me  let  him  take 
up  the  cross  and  follow  me. 

[The  legionaries  place  the  cross  upon  SIMON. 
He  bends  beneath  it  and  picking  up  the  crown 
of  thorns  places  it  upon  his  head.] 

SIMON 

I  will  wear  this,  I  will  bear  this  till  he  comes 
into  his  own. 

CURTAIN 

Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America. 


14  DAY  USE 

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4%65  0P 

1  o  1^80 

NlAXl^Uo 

G/t  ^/^ 

REO-C1R.  JIJN^    •go 

HfhC'D  LD 

JUN29'65-5P 


CIR  OCT  2(5  1965 


M4Y27'68-1P 


LOAN  PEP- 


WAY 


CIR. 


CIRCULATION  DEC 
OCT  06  1996 


MAY  2  0  2001 

LD  21A-60m-4,'64 
(E4555slO)476B 

General  Library 
University  of  California 
Berkeley 

GENERAL  LIBRARY- U.C.  BERKELEY 


B0001S57M7 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 


